Chains Required, Whips Optional
by Daughter of Chaos
Summary: When another enemy comes in search of the Battosai, the results could be disasterous to his friends. Can you keep your hard earned trust, Sanosuke Sagara? Warning, Graphic Violence ahead.
1. Cute Rots the Intellect

05/06--- Chapter under went plastic surgery to clean away a few glaring errors and better prepare for upcoming events. Basic plot remains the same, if you care to skip over and move directly to the most recently uploaded chapter. Thank you. DoC

**Chains Required, Whips Optional**

A Tale of Rurouni Kenshin

Chapter One: Cute Rots the Intellect

It was a warm breeze that carried the soft sounds of daylight wildlife to his ears and stirred the coat on his back. Relaxing, pleasant, and over all everything one needed to wander away from the city to find. Once past that main bridge out of Tokyo, it was a worthy walk to his destination. Toying lazily with the fish spine in his teeth, the young man sighed. He really hoped Jou-_chan_ had something going for lunch, he was hungry!

Hell, better yet, Sanosuke hoped Kenshin had something going for lunch. Then he wouldn't have to take the time to stop and complain while inhaling. 'Course, might be worth it just to tick her off again.

Walking up the familiar path towards the Kamiya Dojo, the young ex-gangster casually pulled one hand from the slit of his pants and pushed open the gate. Sniffing at the air, he noted that nothing seemed to be cooking yet. Damn. With a shrug, Sanosuke strode up the stairs and onto the porch of the dojo with full intention on inviting himself in and raising a fuss about hunger pains. Hand on the sliding door; he heard the sounds of children's voices from behind, and that of an adult in exasperation.

Curious, the young man shucked earlier plans and wandered instead around the dojo towards the conversation he couldn't quite make out. He couldn't hold back the chuckle on his lips when he finally spotted the cause. Ayame and Suzume each clung fiercely to an arm, both of which were attached to one frustrated Kaoru Kamiya. "I'm telling you two, I have to go make lunch so that it can be done when Kenshin and Yahiko get back!"

Ayame, the elder of the two sisters and therefore usually the speaker, pouted as she tugged on Kaoru's kimono sleeve. "But, big sister, since Uncle Kenny is at the market with Yahiko we wanna play with you!"

"Yeah," Piped up the younger sibling, "We wanna play!"

The assistant master rolled her eyes toward the heavens, as if expecting to find answers there. "Yes, and in an hour you're going to want to eat. I'm sorry, I can't play right now."

With a shake of his tousled locks, Sanosuke snorted loudly enough to gain the attention of the three. Leaning back against one of the support beams of the porch, he chuckled. "Oye, Jou-_chan_, that's cruel."

The young woman scowled back at him. "Yeah, and what are you here for? Lunch, right? You aren't getting feed either if I'm out here playing, you big freeloader!"

Suzume giggled and let go of Kaoru's sleeve. "Uncle Sano!"

The ex-gangster grinned as the four year old launched at him. These two kids were just too damned cute. At least, usually both of 'em were this cute. Expecting a second, similar greeting from the elder sister, he felt no little trepidation to find a gleam in the six year old's eye and a cunning grin on her little mouth. A look that suggested the child spent _way_ to much time around the Kitsune.

The girl turned that look onto Kaoru. "Okay, big sister. You can go cook now, but can Uncle Sano play with us instead?"

Sanosuke froze. Kaoru grinned. Little Suzume, her hands clenched on 'Uncle Sano's' soft white pant considered this for a moment. An immeasurably happy look spread across the tiny girl's face, her round little cheeks dimpling and her little pigtails seeming to perk up with her mood. The young man cautiously glanced down at the child that had hold of him. Large, bright, black eyes looked back at him, not unlike those of a cuddly puppy. "Yeah, Uncle Sano, can you come play with us?"

Damn it.

Eyes darting back to the little trouble maker, Ayame, Sanosuke resisted the urge to flinch. The look she wore was of such sweet innocents as to make any pastry look tart by comparison. "Please, Uncle Sano? You don't play with us a lot, you know…"

"Yes, 'Uncle Sano'," His eyes found Kaoru again, an undeniable look of vicious pleasure on her teenage features. Pleasure at his obvious discomfort, and her being there to witness it. "I think it would be just wonderful if you were to play with them. Ayame is right, you never have. You always let Kenshin, Megumi, or Dr. Gensi and I have the pleasure. I think it would be a good experience for you." The girl softened her smile then, though her eyes still twinkled with amusement. "I'll be sure to make extra food for you, Sanosuke."

Double damn it.

Well, what could he say to that? He'd just taken a nasty blow to his conscience, his sense of duty, and his stomach. Okay, so that had been bribery aimed at his stomach… Raising his bandaged right hand behind his neck, he rested it there and looked helplessly at the wooden planks on the porch floor. "I ah… I don't think I know what kinda games you play."

Ayame, apparently having sensed her victory, latched onto the leg her sister didn't have. "That's okay, Uncle Sano, we'll teach you!"

"Yeah, we'll teach you!"

Kaoru laughed and caught Sanosuke's eye again. "Well, I can see that your in good hands, I'll just go and prepare lunch now."

And she padded happily into the dojo on her sandaled feet. Leaving the ex-gangster all alone in unexplored terrain with two little girls. What kinda games do you play with little girls, anyhow? Kenshin had that damned ball out a lot… He was brought back to the moment by the two little girls giggling. They were both tugging hard on his pants. "Sit, Uncle Sano." Commanded little Suzume.

Obediently (prolly for the first time in years), he sat. Legs sprawled in front of him and butt on the porch. Each girl pointedly claimed a leg and sat on it. Ayame nodded to her partner in crime, er, sister. "That's much better. Now we have to decide what game to play."

Suzume giggled again and maneuvered so that she straddled Sanosuke's left leg and bounced up and down on his knee in her exuberance. Kids had way too much energy. "Let's play tea party!"

'Uncle Sano' felt his eyebrow twitch. He hoped that which ever Kami out there had come up with this little joke, was having a very good laugh right now. Ayame smiled happily. "Yeah! With the rain we had last night; we can make good mud pies for Uncle Sano to eat!"

Unbidden, a visual of himself, face coated in mud, two ecstatic little girls, and all the adults laughing in the backdrop came to mind. Nope. He was hungry and all, but not desperate. "No."

Both little girls pouted for a moment at the young man's no-arguments response. Didn't take 'em long to get over it. "Okay!" Ayame smiled, "Then let's play house! I can be the mommy, Uncle Sano can be the daddy, and…"

"I can be the baby!" Chimed Suzume.

Sanosuke shuddered at the premise of the whole thing… If he was playing 'house' with anyone, it would be a lady of ill repute who's at least two years older than him. Not the same thing as the kids were thinking of, he knew. Well, he was a teenage male, after all. Eww… The ex-gangster shuddered again before blurting, "_Hell_ no!"

Ayame gave him a dirty look. "You shouldn't say naughty things like that, Uncle Sano."

Oh boy, being lectured by a six year old. Putting on a face that he hoped looked properly chastised; he waited for the girls to continue brain storming. Once again, it didn't take long. Suzume bounced on his leg again and stated, "Let's play Princess and the handsome heroic Samurai!"

That sounded a bit more promising, long as he wasn't supposed to be one of the princesses. "How do we play that?"

Ayame grinned. "Me and Suzume are princesses being held captive by a big and mean dragon. You gotta be the brave samurai who comes and rescues us."

Sanosuke chuckled. He didn't like playing by other people's rules and he had a fun little twist to add on to this game. "All right." He stood with out warning, causing the little girls to scramble to their feet. "We can play that game. But I don't wanna be the samurai. I'm the big mean dragon and you guys' had best run!"

The two little girls looked at him, and then shared a look between them. Abruptly they both burst out into laughter and took off running across the yard. Sanosuke trailed after them, growling, roaring, waving his arms about (while fighting the smile off his face), and over all prolly looking quite the mad man.

On one of their laps around the yard he spotted Kaoru stepping back onto the porch; no doubt wondering at the game which involved this much noise to play. She smiled and kneeled on the porch to watch them. The ex-gangster smirked in a mock-evil way when he saw little Suzume trip and land on her nose in the dirt. Taking a quick tally to make sure the girl was unhurt, he pounced on her. On his knees with either hand planted in the dirt just inches from her shoulders, he waited for her to flip over. He smiled down at child, "You know what happens when the dragon catches a princess?"

Suzume giggled. "He eats her!"

"Nope. He tickles her till she can't laugh no more!"

And he proceeded to do just that. Quite amused with the game, he was having a blast watching the child writhe and squirm, laugh and giggle, as he mercilessly tickled her. Kids were damned cute. Abruptly he found himself tackled from behind. Ayame sprawled over the evil on his back and wrapped her arms about his neck, 'throttling' him. "I'm not gonna let no big, mean, ugly dragon torture my sister like that!" She laughed.

Playing into this, Sanosuke, ehem… the dragon, choked and sputtered. Both girls were laughing quite hard by the time the 'dragon' made its dramatic demise, tipping over onto the yard with a muffled thud. Kaoru seemed to be laughing pretty hard too. After a few beats, Ayame spoke up. "Uncle Sano? I didn't really hurt you, right?"

Opening one chocolate brown eye to the girl he grinned. "'Course not."

"'Kay! But, you know when dragons die, their mouths are supposed to be open and their tongues hang out."

"That so?"

Ayame nodded sagely. With a snort, the young man obliged, setting both girls into another round of giggles. Sanosuke then sat up and raised an eyebrow at the little girls. "Well, now what'cha wanna play?"

Suzume jumped up and down in place. "Let's do that again! But this time I wanna be the dragon!"

The little girl put on a 'fierce' scowl and growled. Then she hissed. And meowed. The young man felt both eyebrows rocket up beneath his ever present red bandanna. "I think your dragon has a cat complex, kid."

Kaoru had silently joined them in the 'playing field' by then and she smiled at the girl too. "Don't mind him, Suzume. Sano's just jealous because you do that so well."

"Right. And you can do better, Jou-_chan_?"

With an exaggerated wink at the girls, Kaoru turned to him and making a cat scratch motion, hissed. Sanosuke couldn't help it, he started laughing. She hissed again, this time interrupted a bit by a fit of giggles. The ex-gangster shook his head, bandanna tails fluttering. "Don't you have lunch you should be cooking?"

"It's simmering. But if you're going to be that way about it," she grinned, "I'll go back in."

"You'd better. If I wanted ta' eat charcoal, I coulda raided any of the local cook pots in the city."

The girl rolled her eyes. "You know what they say about beggars, Sanosuke."

The young man cocked his head slightly to the side. "Umm… Don't give 'em money or they'll spend it all on sake?"

Kaoru blinked. "No… Beggars can't… You know what? Never mind."

Sanosuke chuckled as with a long suffering sigh, the teen continued back to the dojo. The two little girls were laughing at they're antics. That was fine. What kinda big brother figure would he be to Jou-_chan_ if he didn't harass her every now and again?

Abruptly, the world seemed to stop. There was something wrong, he knew it. He could feel it. As if on cue, the world began moving again. Too fast. That bad thing, it was aimed at Kaoru… The resounding sound of a gunshot rang in the ex-gangster's ears. He pushed his body for motion. Faster, he needed to move faster! It was like some twisted play, he could see what was coming, but it was like he was slogging through mud. Faster!

"NOOO! _JOU-CHAN_!"

Not fast enough! Kami damn it! Not Kaoru! He heard a second explosion from a gun barrel as he watched the first bullet tear through the girl's side. The world was moving at such a pace that he could see the spurt of blood as the bullet burst through the skin and clothing of her back. With a wordless yell, he flung himself in a full body hurl at the girl. He felt this bullet graze his ribcage as yet another shot was fired. Tumbling to the ground he rolled half over Kaoru, forming a living shield. With out need.

A ruff voice shouted, "Damned fuck up, you ain't supposed to kill the girl! Just wound her!"

Sanosuke blinked, but didn't move from his position. The fuck? And then he heard two muffled little yells. The kids! Jerking up right he found the dojo grounds had been surrounded. Men with black cloth wrapped about their lower faces. And packing weapons. The ex-gangster didn't care. There were now important lives at stake, and he'd all ready let Kaoru get wounded once. Casting a cool look at the two would-be-ninjas who held the little girls captive, he stated, "I'd put them down, if you know what's good for you."

One of the men nearest him snorted. "Or what, the 'big, mean dragon' will tickle us till we 'can't laugh no more'?"

Sanosuke felt his heart sink. These goons had been hanging around that long, and he hadn't noticed. If Kenshin would've been here… No. Kenshin wasn't here and he was fucking well a big boy that could take care of this on his own. "Oh yeah. You'll be real fucking tickled by what I'm going to do to you."

The man growled and attacked, followed by fifteen cohorts. Whatever this was all about; there was someone rich behind it to fund this kinda thing. Didn't matter right now. None of the guys were particularly good fighters and the battle scene looked a bit more like a tavern brawl. The biggest drunk deckin' all the little guys onto their asses. 'Course, none of 'em were drunk at the moment. And these guys had proven by their initial attack that they didn't fight fair.

He should have known better.

A loud bang abruptly seared his eardrums, but that was nothing compared to the fiery agony that exploded in his shoulder. He found himself on his knees in the dirt; he didn't know how that happened. He did know that there was now blood in the water, and the sharks were moving in. One man jerked his arms up behind his back, while another ground the butt of what could have only been a rifle into the mass of pain that was his shoulder. The shaft of another rifle came up hard into his abdomen, just under his ribs. Sanosuke felt the wind rush out of him. A second and third slam had him doubled over on the ground.

Like some of the more sadistic entry rights that some gangs had, the group of men kicked and punched at the prone figure on the ground until he quit moving. Though that did nothing for the frightened whimpers of the little girls and Jou-_chan_'s plaintive shrieks. Feeling the men move away from him, Sanosuke mentally smirked. Good. He sure as hell was not down for the count yet. He just needed them to move away a little further…

"Grab the cloth. Remember what the boss said about this guy. He doesn't fuckin' well go down this easy!"

The ex-gangster's eyes shot open and he moved to push himself up. Only to be shoved back down by several men his head was jerked back by a hand wound tightly in his hair. His mouth and nose were then covered by a cloth. Sanosuke held his breath. If he breathed, this would be it. He couldn't… A boot was ground roughly into his shoulder, the pain taking a quantum leap into another dimension. He inhaled sharply. A tangy scent assailed him and the world began to spin. The young man struggled to hold the darkness at the edges of his vision at bay.

No! He couldn't let them down this way. Ayame, Suzume, Kaoru… Kenshin. He had gotten stronger to protect his loved ones, not to let them down. Again. No… Just before unconsciousness claimed him, the hazy in between beckoned:

"_I ah… I don't think I know what kinda games you play."_

"_That's okay, Uncle Sano, we'll teach you!"_

"_Well, I can see that your in good hands, I'll just go and prepare lunch now." _

Oh… fuck… no…

Language notes:

Jou-_chan_: Well, most who read RK fan fiction all ready know this one. In the Japanese version this is Sano's little pet name for Kaoru. Roughly translates to 'Little Miss'.

**Disclaimer:** Rurouni Kenshin and all characters/ideas related to it do not belong to me. Admittingly, most of what I know of the Japanese culture I've learned through Anime. I didn't do it, folks! And I make no profit from it.

Author's Note: Well, there you go folks! A cliffhanger for you all to complain about . Now now... Anyway. This is my first RK fan fic. I'm not writing that to warn you about my writting skills, trust me, this isn't my first fan fiction _period. _I tell you that because I feel it's only fair to warn you that I've been, as an author, raised on Dragon Ball Z. I saw you folks cringe! Why'd you think I put my note at the end of the chapter ()

I request reviews. I don't beg for them, I don't play on your conscience for them. I just ask for them. Keep in mind, I can't correct mistakes, or make improvements if I don't know about what needs to be improved. And, they give you this wonderful warm glow to read. (DoC looks about guiltily) Oops said that aloud. Anyway, next chapter coming when I get it typed

As to my DBZ fans, forgive me, but Sanosuke is just nagging at me to be written! And... I need to get out of the romance rut. Need some good old-fashioned blood, gore, and angst. I'll get back to that other story, I promise.

_DoC_


	2. Life is Just a Bowl of Pits

05/06--- Chapter under went plastic surgery to clean away a few glaring errors and better prepare for upcoming events. Basic plot remains the same, if you care to skip over and move directly to the most recently uploaded chapter. Thank you. DoC

**Chains Required, Whips Optional**

A Tale of Rurouni Kenshin

Chapter Two: Life Is Just a Bowl of Pits

The world was bouncing and swaying. Wood creaked and scraped against metal braces. And there were other noises. Sounding of pain, sympathy… fear. The very air was oppressed with fright and worry. Everything continued to bounce and sway.

Those voices, he should know em'. They were people. Girls. Young. He knew them. Another distinct moan sounded near by. He knew that voice too. Those pain filled moans were all too familiar for some reason. Who ever was behind them, seemed to be garnering attention from the other three voices.

Wrestling with the black curtain that blanketed and muffled his senses, Sanosuke mentally swore. He needed to know what was going on. Where was he? Who were these people? He wanted to… to ease them some how. The curtain finally yielded. Slowly, it gave way, but the main act on stage was quick to take hold. Pain.

Well, one question answered. The moans belonged to him.

"Sanosuke!" The voice was breathy, tinged with a pain of its own, "Sano, please, wake up. Please! Open your eyes…"

Something tugged at the jacket on his waist, "Please, Uncle Sano! Open your eyes!"

This groan he dampened. The young man realized he couldn't afford to worry these people like that. Kaoru, Ayame, Suzume… those were the names behind the voices. He drew on his renowned stamina, elk brown eyes that bellied the thin figure opened to greet the world. To soothe those girls. Cornflower irises met his gaze. Tired, weak, pained. Kaoru. He was sprawled in an ungainly position on a seat far to short for his frame. The ex-gangster's head was cushioned by the young assistant master's lap. Ayame and Suzume knelt beside the seat, both of their hands wound in his coat.

"Yey! Uncle Sano, you okay?"

"Yeah Uncle Sano, you 'kay?"

Kaoru sighed and gently brushed the stray bangs from his forehead. "Thank Buddha."

He wanted to respond, but lips made of lead refused to move. Invisible weights worked to bring down his eyelids. Pain tore at his right shoulder, and a whispered sting made itself known on his left side mid rib cage and in his midsection. The shadow pain he associated with bruising covered the greater part of him. The young man's stomach roiled. This was… all wrong. What the hell had…?

Right, they had been attacked. Kaoru had been… Eyes shifted towards the young woman's middle, right side. A bandage had been hastily wrapped there. It was soaked red. Sano realized then that his own abdomen was bare. The wrappings removed to work as bandages for the girl and his shoulder. Now that he had realized it, the coppery scent of blood burned strong in his nostrils. Kaoru's, his own. His belly squirmed. The world lurched again and he fought the bile that burned at the back of his throat.

Eyes turned back up to the eldest girl, he struggled with brute determination against his disobedient mouth. What had been in that rag? Didn't matter right now. "Where…?"

Kaoru closed her eyes and leaned back, one hand beside her, the other rested on Sanosuke's chest. "A carriage. After you were… taken down, they took us all about a kilometer from the dojo and loaded us in. I don't know where we're going; they don't have windows in here."

A carriage, that explained why the world was moving like it was. "Shit."

This was followed quickly by a child's reprimanding, "Uncle Sano…"

He would have snorted if it didn't sound like so much work. Instead, he took a deep breath, and swallowed hard. "Why?"

A little girl, must'a been Suzume, began explaining quite properly, "Because swearing sounds bad and good grown ups don't say things like that 'cause it's im- improper."

Kaoru laughed weakly. "I think he was talking to me, Suzume-_chan_. Why were we taken? I- I don't know for sure. They haven't said anything directly to us. But, from what I've overheard…" She glanced carefully at the two tender young girls in their presence, "The… men who took us work for someone with a grudge against Kenshin. We're being taken hosta-… umm, kept in their company to bring Kenshin out."

Sano sighed and allowed his heavy eyes to close. Figured. Everyone had a grudge against the legendary hitokiri it seemed. He never blamed it on Kenshin, but really, didn't these guys live lives of their own? Wait, this out of the man that held a grudge against the _Ishin Shishi_ for how long. Ah hell, _that _was different… Never mind, that was also off topic. Opening his eyes again he asked his final, and perhaps most important question. "You… Okay?"

The young woman offered him a tired smile and ran her free hand through his bangs. "I'll be all right. As soon as we get out of here. I just… I feel so useless. I'm nothing more than a thing to be used against Kenshin. I…"

She trailed off as Sanosuke's large calloused hand was gently laid over the one on his chest. It had been an effort to do that, but she needed physical comfort. "Jou-_chan_… N- not you're fault."

He would say these words to her. And Sagara Sanosuke meant them. Though, in his own heart, he realized that he himself was very much at fault. He had not protected his little sister in her time of need and those two kids. As a fighter, and as a friend, he had failed. This was why he would not allow Kaoru to burden herself as such. Not for his responsibility. Neither would he burden her with his own conscious. She didn't need to worry any more. He squeezed the hand he had trapped; the young woman turned it in his grasp and returned the sentiments. "I know, thank you."

The cabin remained silent for a few moments; Sanosuke allowed his eyes to fall shut again and focused his attention on keeping the contents of his stomach right where they were as the carriage continued lurching along. Ayame, in a tiny voice spoke up, "I'm scared."

"I know, sweetie, but we have to be brave right now." Kaoru counseled.

Sano sighed and silently freed the little girl's hand from his jacket and held it in the palm of his right hand. After a moment he gathered Suzume's there as well. His left hand still covered Kaoru's. Sanosuke knew he had few options. He may have failed them in the first place, now it was up to him to free them. Gritting his teeth, he prayed for the carriage ride to be a long one despite his touchy tummy. He would need all the strength he could get to return to him before that dark wooden door was opened again.

---------------

Increasing his pace again, the red head realized he was very nearly at a run. Yahiko was panting hard beside him in an effort to keep up on his shorter legs. Something was nagging at him. He could not name it exactly, but Kenshin knew that something was terribly wrong.

He appreciated the silence of the youth beside him, an understanding beyond his age. Yahiko had questioned him when mid market trip he had turned and headed straight back for the dojo. Kenshin had told the boy of his feeling of ill will and Yahiko had questioned no further. A good choice as the elder of the two was in no mood for such things at the moment.

Kaoru-_dono_ was in danger, of that there was no doubt.

All ready narrowed eyes hardened as they're approach of the dojo showed the gates wide open. He stopped. The boy slid to a stop a few paces ahead of him. "What are you doing, Kenshin? Kaoru never leaves those gates open, this is bad! Come on, we have to get in there and…"

"I do not believe there is anyone in there at the moment, Yahiko. However, a sense of danger prevails here. I suggest we enter with caution, that I do."

The boy stiffened slightly and glared at the outer walls of the dojo as though he expected an attack to spring from them. Kenshin knew better. There was no sense of presence with in those walls. He would not tell his young companion such, as what ever was there would require Yahiko to be on alert. Taking the lead, the red haired Rurouni cautiously walked through the gates.

Yahiko looked about everywhere, scrutinizing the property. "Everything looks all right out here, Kenshin, I'll go check inside."

The man's eyes however, had drifted toward the ground. Bangs covered what may have been a flash of amber in their violet depths. "You will find nothing inside, that you won't. What we seek is in the back."

"What do you mean by that? I…," The boy glanced at the ground for the first time himself, and noted the dark spots that haphazardly stained it. "Blood. Oh."

Kenshin continued on with out waiting for Yahiko to draw his conclusion. Fear burned in his belly and drove him to the source. A chilling scene awaited the two behind the dojo. A struggle had obviously taken place, a great deal of blood shed. The boy gasped in shock of it, the samurai had no time for such trivials.

Quickly he took in and assessed the area. The two blood pools, now soaked into the dirt, the ground around them suggested who had left them. The one nearest the steps expressed a body print of someone small, but not a child. Kaoru-_dono_. The other was nearer the well; a much larger frame had fallen here, and put up quite a struggle in doing so. The prints and scars on the yard suggested that this person was the one who fought hardest. Kenshin's lips thinned, Sanosuke's style was easy to recognize. Tatterings of cloth in one area of the yard looked like the typical mouth covering of a ninja. Or a man who wanted disguise.

Kenshin closed his eyes briefly, imagining the scene in action. They had been attacked. Kaoru-_dono_ had obviously been wounded first. A battle had taken place, Sano and approximately thirteen to fifteen other men involved. Sano had been doing well. Something took him down and took him down hard. Not an easy thing to do where Sagara Sanosuke was concerned. Violet eyes again studied the area, a glint of light reflected back at him from the ground. A shell casing. Guns.

"Hey, Kenshin. I found a note here…"

The man nodded and moved to Yahiko's side where a parchment of paper was pinned to the wall with a shuriken. Kenshin stiffened as he read through it.

_-Hitokiri Battôsai,_

_I have in my possession four people which you may want back. Two children, I believe they've been called Ayame and Suzume. Sagara Sanosuke. And of course, Kamiya Kaoru._

_My conditions for their return are simple; I wish a duel with you so I may avenge the one I lost._

_Let us make this interesting. Every day that passes as of tomorrow morning, I will take one of their lives. I'll save your young Kamiya girl for last._

_Hurry, hurry, hitokiri!_

_I will see you where the sun rises unblemished and the breezes blow un-headed. Perhaps my guests will enjoy this yamajiro(1) in the sky._

_Kuromori Ichiro-_

Yahiko had watched him read the note, and obviously reread it a second time. "This guy has a lot of guts to take them as hostages! Kuromori?"

The fiery haired man let out a quiet breath. "The elder brother of one Kuromori Suekichi. The younger brother was a marked swordsman who fought against the Imperialists during the war. He fell to my sword."

"And this Kuromori is after revenge. Of course. I don't get it; he gives you a deadline but doesn't say where to go!"

"He is holding them at the Matsuo-_jo _(2), that he is."

Kenshin had turned from the note and was all ready walking toward the gate. Yahiko jogged to catch up. "The Matsuo-_jo_, what's that?"

"A great mansion built by a rich merchant named Matsuo. It was built on a tiny isle just off the northern ocean coast near _Hachinohe_ (3). The piece of land is entirely hill, and the mansion is suspended high above the waters. Often referred to as the 'castle in the sky', that it is. Just before the beginning of the war it was used as a prison to hold dangerous convicts. The _Ishin Shishi_ (4) had no men to spare during the war and the isle was abandoned."

"That can't be good news. So, North then."

Kenshin silently shook his head. "Town first, I must request a carriage for this journey. It will be nigh impossible to make this journey on foot in the time frame given. I'm afraid it will be close by horse as it is, that it will."

---------------

The carriage was slowing. Looked like the ride was coming to an end. Placing both hands on the bench beneath him, Sanosuke fought his uncooperative body into an upright sitting position. Never mind the help from Kaoru; he was sitting of his own accord. That was an accomplishment in its self at the moment. That shit they'd made him suck in, that really did a number on a guy!

"Sano, what ever it is you think you're going to do… I don't think your going to be able to do it at the moment. Maybe you should just…,"

"Just lay back down like a bump on a log? No fuckin' way Jou-_chan_."

Kaoru rolled her eyes at his stubborn ways. "Fine. Okay Mr. Tuff guy, what _do_ you plan to do? Kick open the door and puke all over them?"

Sano put on his best pouting look. "And what would be so wrong with that plan? And, wait a sec, what makes you think I'm gonna hurl?"

The girl was obviously fatigued, and more than borderline frustrated. "Because you've been as white as a ghost since you woke up in here and now that you're sitting up you've gone gray. I don't need to be Megumi to figure out what comes next, Sagara!"

Well, the ex-gangster himself was way past frustrated and in no mood to hear this sweaty little girl spout off at 'im. "Listen here, Jou-_chan_! I gotta lot of practice at not hurlin' when everyone thinks I should. And if I need to be strong enough to do something agains' these guys than I will be!"

"Then how come you're still leaning on me? Would you like me to hold your hand while you're 'attacking' these guys too? Or am I just supposed to scrape you off the floor when their done, jerk!"

"I don't fuckin' need any one to…!"

"Stop it! Stop it please!" Fat tears were making tracks down young Ayame's face as she grasped a hold of each of the 'adult's' hands. Suzume clung to the back of her elder sister's Kimono, two bright brown eyes and an upset little face peaking out from behind a shoulder. "Big sister Kaoru, Uncle Sano, you guys have ta' stop arguing, please? I don't want to hear you arguing. Not here, please? We have to be brave now, you said. So no arguing, please?"

Amazingly, the assistant master of the Kamiya dojo looked as utterly chastised as he felt. Go figure, took a six year old to point out the obvious. Sanosuke ran a hand through his unruly hair and let out a long breath. "Yeah, yeah, kid. Fine." He was in no mood to allow for easy defeats, even in pointless battles. But still, "I'm umm… I'm sorry."

Kaoru offered her own general apology as well. They sat in silence for a time as the carriage came to its final halt and the listened to the muffled orders being passed around outside. Sano snorted. "Wonder how much of our little yelling match they just heard?"

"Enough to think we hate each other, I'm sure."

"You really think pukin' on 'em would be a good plan?"

"I thought you said you knew how to hold it in."

"I do, figured I could just take aim and let fly."

"All you'd do is tick them off, Sanosuke."

The young man grinned mischievously; it prolly looked odd with the pallor of his skin in the dim light of the carriage. "So, they'd be messy _and _ticked. 'Sides, I'd rather make a mess all over them than over you."

Kaoru glared pointedly at him. "Gee. Thanks."

Ayame and Suzume, whose mutual expression was becoming more disgusted as the conversation continued, grimaced at each other. Suzume then turned a dirty look on the adults. "That's ucky."

At that moment, the door opened. Four men entered, each with a hand gun and found a hostage to aim it at. The apparent leader inside spoke up, turning his eyes specifically on Sanosuke. "Any of you thinks of doing anything and one of your little friends is gonna bite the bullet, got it? Good. Sagara, up and out first."

Hauling himself to unsteady legs, the young man swayed. More than he needed to, but the weaker they believed him to be, the better. The speaker groaned pointedly and aided him to the entry way. Sano looked out over a large group of men, more 'en fifteen here. Not as good of a time to make a stand as he had hopped. And not with pistils aimed at his companions. They had stopped along a beach. Six row boats were pulled onto the shore there. Sanosuke groaned. He really hopped they weren't going on a ship. Eyes lifted across the waters and widened abruptly.

An island. And a big structure. He should know about this, he'd heard about it once in the underworld…

The man behind him was apparently fed up with his gawkin', as he 'helped' the ex-gangster down the stairs. Bet the guy's buddies weren't too pleased with his shove when the found themselves sprayed in a most unwanted shower. On hands and knees at the bottom of the steps, Sano grinned slightly to himself. At least his stomach felt better.

A disgruntled ninja-wanna-be hauled him again to his feet and he was half dragged over too a long boat. The man holding Suzume clambered in as well. Kaoru and Ayame were separated from them. The young man felt grim and starred wordlessly over the waters, his minor triumph all ready forgotten. That island… that giant stone and wood structure…

Could it really be _the_ Matsuo-_jo_?

Language notes:

(1)_Yamajiro_: mountain castle

(2) -_jo_: The suffix –_jo_ on the name of a castle literally means 'castle'. In this case Matsuo-_jo_.

(3)_Hachinohe_: This is a city near the northern part of mainland Japan. It's a coastal city on the Pacific Ocean side of the country.

(4)_Ishin Shishi_: Loyalist or pro-Imperialist patriots who fought to restore the emperor to his ancient seat of power.

BTW: For anyone who would like to know. Matsuo-_jo_ is entirely a fictional castle. You won't find any actual reference to it. I just sort of dreamed it up for the purpose of a nice set for a portion of this fic, all right?

**Author's Note: **

Wow! I'm really impressed with you folks! I'm used to my review crowd in DBZ land, but I wasn't sure how well the audience takes over here in RK land. Thank you very much for this wonderfully pleasant surprise!

I'm sorry, no, this is not a Sano/Kaoru romance ficcy. It's not a romance at all. I'm telling you, I'm writing this strictly for blood, gore, pain, and angst! Sano and Kaoru are marked as the main characters on the story because, that's what they are. I guess I'd just like to be different in the story pool by having those two work off of each other _with out_ any romantic inclinations. Besides, excuse my narrow point of view, but those two? That would be odd…

Now then, how was that? Recommendations for me? Criticisms? Fluffy comments to make an authoress giggle? I'll leave that up to you.

Once again, next chapter will be posted when I get it typed.

_DoC_


	3. Dreams of Revenge

05/06--- Chapter under went plastic surgery to clean away a few glaring errors. Basic plot remains the same, if you care to skip over and move directly to the most recently uploaded chapter. Thank you. DoC

**Chains Required, Whips Optional**

A Tale of Rurouni Kenshin

Chapter Three: Dreams of Revenge

Surrounded by a glittering natural defense of rock laden waters and standing tall on a pillar of an island, the fortress had earned its reputation. Through styling and reason it would have appeared as though one of the daimyos of the Sengoku Period had built and defended this three story marvel. In fact, Matsuo-_jo_ had been built near 1800 by a solitary, suspicious merchant- Matsuo Ieyasu. A well known and extremely wealthy merchant, the man behind the _yamajiro_ of the Pacific Ocean trusted no one and was prone to making any threats to his wares and routes 'disappear'.

Perhaps that alone would have explained the peculiar inner sanctum of the fortress. It's unforgiving, undecorated walls. It's lack of color, warmth, and comfortable furnishings. The two level dungeon carved into the solid rock of the island below its straight forward, no nonsense, base.

However, it was likely during those fifteen years after the death of Matsuo the merchant that Matsuo the fortress adopted many of the rumors and stories that made it famous. The time the mountain castle spent as a prison for some of Japan's most dangerous convicts and most lethal punishments. It was this menagerie of weapons and store house of restraining devices that was left behind when Matsuo-_jo_ was so hastily abandoned. When her guards fled to aid their families in a civil war beyond compare and the prisoners escaped to their own paths and desires.

It was that array of sharp metal objects that Sagara Sanosuke most defiantly did not appreciate the value of at the moment. It was kind of hard to with sick visions of how they could be implemented on stage in his mind. The young man growled and closed his eyes, giving yet another futile jerk at the chains that bound him to the rock wall at his back. Throbbing pain between his temples kept a steady beat to that of his injured right shoulder, which was no doubt bleeding again. Fatigue and worry burned a path of frustration through out his core. If only he could have willed the strength and energy back into his limbs so far as to break a few chains. It shouldn't have been hard.

A tiny sob near the corner of the square cell that had become his surroundings reminded the young man that he was not alone in his predicament. Reopening his eyes he softened his gaze for the small bundle of colorful kimono and slightly mussed pig tails that huddled beside him. "Ne, Suzume-_chan_…"

Brown eyes, a darker shade than his own, gazed up at the ex-gangster. Liquid pooled on the four-year old's lashes, the salty mixture rolling on in a waterfall down her dimpled cheeks. A rattle of chain reminded Sanosuke that his hands were indeed bound tight against the wall above his head, no matter how much he wanted to reach down and wipe those crocodile tears off of the little girl's face. The only thing at her level were his legs, equally bound to the wall. Suzume herself was free of restraints to the small relief of her cell mate. "Are ya cold, kid?"

That wasn't really what he had intended to say. He wanted to comfort her, and tell her everything would be jus' fine. And Suzume would have believed him. Lying had never been his strong suit though, especially in the face of one so trusting as a child. The little girl blinked up at him, unleashing yet another torrent of tears down her face. She choked and sniffled before quickly dashing her kimono sleeve across her cheeks. "Y-yes." She hiccupped, "A little bit."

"You can hang on to me if ya'd like to, Suzume-_chan_."

The young man watched as the child bit her lip, a few more crying jag inspired hiccups racking her frame. He gingerly flexed the fingers of his right hand while waiting the child's decision. He had lost feeling in it, trapped though it was, some fifteen minutes ago. He wished it were his unforgiving shoulder that could have gone numb. Having made up her mind, Suzume stood and fairly flung herself at Sanosuke's leg. Curling her arms around the limb, the girl clung to the white fabric at the back of his knee and buried her nose in his thigh. "Uncle Sano, I'm scared! I want Ayame and big sister Kaoru. I want Uncle Kenny!"

Sanosuke sighed; a whisper under his breath of 'you and me both, kid.' "We'll find 'em. You gotta have faith sometimes. And I'm sure Kenshin is prolly on his way."

Not that he was depending on the Rurouni himself, of course. However, Kenshin did have a knack for arriving in time to save the day. Sano himself, had been questioning his own heroic skills of late. Especially when he seemed to be in need of 'rescuing' as often as the Jou-_chan_. Fingers on both hands clenched into unforgiving fists at the thought, sending a shock of fresh pain through his abused shoulder. The little girl did not respond to him, sniffling into the soft cloth of his pant instead. Prolly for the best, with the rare depressed and frustrated mood he was finding himself in.

Unclenching his fists, Sanosuke stared unseeing at the wall of unnamed instruments displayed before him. This wasn't the time to be feeling sorry for himself. Kenshin was his best friend. He knew for fact the man was on his way. He also sensed, somewhere deep with in him, that he hadn't the time to depend on the samurai's arrival. Neither he nor Kenshin could afford another failure on his part. Another jerk on the chains above his head, again in vain.

The grip on the back of his leg tightened. "Uncle Sano… I'm real scared to be here, but I'm happy you're here with me."

The statement was made so quietly Sano nearly thought he misheard the girl. His heart tightened in his chest. Before meeting Kenshin, and Jou-_chan_ and the rest, he'd gone a very long time with out knowing this kind of trust. Sure, he had good friends and the street kids tended to look up to him with a certain amount of awe and respect, but it wasn't this unquestioning trust. This time his pull on the chains was more heartfelt and less desperation driven. He was rewarded with a small pop and a squeal of a link in the chain stretching and dislodging.

"Uncle Sano?" Watery doe eyes gazed up at the young man in open curiosity.

"We can't find 'em if we're in here, _ne_? I jus' need to… work at this."

"Oh," the child loosed one hand from her grip on his pants and tugged thoughtfully on a pigtail. "Can I help, Uncle Sano?"

Stopping for a moment, he eyed the girl. Sanosuke grinned. "Yeah, yeah ya can, kid. Go stand by the door and let me know if you hear anyone coming, aright?"

"'Kay!" Bobbing her head decisively, Suzume dashed to the wood and metal structure that separated them from the main hall as though she had been given a great task.

Shaking his head, Sano continued his work at the right chain. The left he did not completely pull through, though he could at a moments notice. At the moment it was his right arm that was weakest. The struggle which had chaffed his left wrist beneath its red wrappings had by now worn a patch right through the cloth wound about his right wrist. Mentally the young man was reviewing the route by which he and little Suzume had been brought into the fortress. They had been brought to a separate entrance than Jou-_chan_ and Ayame. From there the two had been brought through a maze of corridors down into a dungeon level.

Sanosuke's lack of direction was indeed renowned, but he thought this time he could find his way back out. It would be finding Jou-_chan_ and Ayame that could prove a bit more challenging.

"I hear someone walking, Uncle Sano!"

"Eh? I hadn't actually expected anyone so soon." A scowl darkened his features for the briefest moment. "Okay, good work, Suzume-_chan_. Come back over here by me."

The girl obeyed, clinging to his leg again, half hiding herself from the door behind it. Sano wrapped his left hand about the loosened link in the binding chain and both cell mates waited silently as the echoing of boots on stone corridor drew nearer. By the sound of it, possibly a few men. Only one in boots, the others in something that tread softer. Loud enough on the hard floors.

The feet halted, predictably, before their door. Four-year old fingers curled tighter into soft white pant as a key was inserted into the lock. In stepped three men all together. Two of which in traditional dark clothing. The third was a slightly taller man, though not so tall as Sano himself. He wore a western style in clothing. The suit coat looked awkward with the katana at his waist. The two followers fell neatly into place by the door, mister west continued on until he stood a scant foot before the bedraggled ex-gangster.

"Sagara Sanosuke." Dark cinnamon eyes played carefully down his length from a weather worn face. Those eyes rested uncomfortably long on his hips before traveling back up and meeting his own. The man smiled dangerously. "Indeed."

Sano scowled, "Yeah, nice, you know who I am. Who the hell are you?"

"It really doesn't look to me like you, dear boy, are in any position to be demanding anything of _me_. However, it would do no good to die at the hands of a stranger. I am Kuromori Ichiro. You should feel flattered to have met me, boy."

"I'm hardly impressed by no-good kidnappers."

A smile graced thin lips, but did not touch the eyes. "Such fire. It will be fun to execute you."

Sanosuke started, shocked despite himself. "Executed!"

"Yes, Yes. Part of my impromptu deal with the Battôsai, you see. I want him to rush here as fast as he can, so I left him a little message. I kill one of his friends a day until he arrives. You have too much of an urge to cause trouble, you will go first. I do hope you mean enough to him to cause suffering. If not, I'm sure these girls will drive him beyond mad, don't you agree?"

"You're the one that's mad," Sano sneered, "If you actually _want_ the Battôsai to be fuckin' pissed at you."

"Do keep your opinions to yourself. Now then, will you come quietly, or will I have the pleasure of using force? They have a most exquisite guillotine on this island. I think you might enjoy it. All though, the blade is a tad rusty. It may take two, perhaps three drops to completely sever your head."

The young man leaned back against the wall and gripped the chains that bound him ever so slightly harder. This Kuromori guy was defiantly a nut job. A sick and twisted nut job. The quivering leech attached to his leg brought Sano back to where he needed to be. "Answer me something."

"Again with the demands. It's your last hour of life and this is how you treat your captors? Fine then, ask, boy."

"Where'd you make off with the other two girls; are they all right?"

"Don't think I can't count, Sagara. That was two. They are on the third story. And alive. My men will need _something_ to play with for this long of a wait for the Battôsai. "

The ex-gangster instantly bristled, squaring his shoulders and jerking on his chains. "_You_! Don't you even _consider _touching those girls!"

Kuromori turned his head away, black ear length bangs falling slightly into his vision. "Don't insult me, boy. I would not consider such a thing." The man grinned devilishly, bearing slightly yellowed teeth. Laying a gloved hand on Sanosuke's naked abdomen, he continued, "I don't go for women."

The young man jerked back as far as he could, however the rock wall halted any real retreat. The psycho seemed amused by this and let a finger trail down to Sanosuke's navel before pulling his hand away. "That doesn't mean that my men do not though. Which is what I said in the first place, if you would have been listening. Jidai, grab the little brat. Himeji, please assist Sagara-_san_. I have a promise to keep and a guillotine to bloody."

A haze of red clouded his vision. With out second thought, Sanosuke leapt for the throat of the man who dare make such threats. The weakened chains on his arms gave way with a mournful squeal, the anklets pulled from the wall with a loud protest from mortar. Kuromori was moving down and away before the final bolt had pulled from the wall. Sword drawn, held in a left handed stance he backed from the room. "Take him down, you fools!"

The ex-gangster heard little of it. In a show of strength and brutality, Sanosuke latched onto both men's collars and heaved them unceremoniously against the wall of horrors. Skulls cracked against the stone and limbs were impaled on unnamed sharp objects. With a squeal, Kuromori turned on his heal and ran down the hall.

Anger would have had the young man plow onward after the beast. A small choked sound from the opposite wall reminded him again of all of his responsibilities. "Suzume-_chan,_ are you all right?"

The child whimpered and stayed hunkered down beside the wall. "Yeah…"

"Let's go find Jo-_chan_ and your sister, huh?"

Casting a side long look at the unmoving forms dangling from the wall of horrors, Suzume stood and again attached herself to his leg. Sanosuke took this as acquiescence and started for the hall himself. They needed to get out of the dungeon and up to the third story. In one piece. "Good girl. If anything starts out here, you find someplace out of the way to hide till I tell you it's all right to come out. Okay?"

"'Kay… Uncle Sano, you're bleeding again."

Reaching behind his right shoulder, Sano noted ruefully that the child was right. "I am. S'okay. Let's hurry."

Studying both directions in the hall, it was obvious that Kuromori was long since gone. Striking off to the right with four-year old in tow, Sanosuke cautiously maneuvered toward the stairs. He was met with no obstructions. The young man grit his teeth and eyed his continued journey with all the more worry. Surely Kuromori would have raised an alarm by now. He should have been swamped. A second flight of stairs at the end of another long hallway led the duo from two dungeon levels and up into the fortress itself.

And still not a soul was present.

"Suzume-_chan_, stay right behind me."

"'Kay."

There was only one explanation. They were planning an ambush. Sanosuke clenched his fists in expectation and slowed his pace ever so slightly. Concern for the other two girls drove him hard. If Jou-_chan_ or Ayame had been… Brown, wild hair was shaken ruthlessly. He couldn't think of that. The focus had to solely be on getting there. Where ever 'there' was.

The street brawler found the greeting he had been so long expecting on the third flight of stairs. Halting for caution's sake just round the stone corner he listened for a moment, as had been done with the previous two sets of stairs. A once elaborate tapestry, long since slashed sown its middle, ruffled with a stir of air. The hackles jumped on the back of his neck and Sano pulled himself and his young charge down a step just as a dark clad body whipped about the corner.

Sanosuke hardly realized his own actions as he flung out his left arm and fairly hung the man. Momentum carried the attacker's feet out beneath him sending him flying on down the steps; hitting his head several times down. He did not get up. The street brawler was already moving further up the stairs before the first thug hit the landing below. He was unsurprised to find the array of flunkies in the large chamber above and appalled really at the idiocy of their assault. They weren't attacking more 'an two or three of them at a time.

Sanosuke had the advantage.

Pressing Suzume tight to the wall just around the corner, he whispered an urgent 'stay' to the child and darted out into the great room. This was the entrance to Matsuo-_jo_, as he recalled. The ex-gangster found quickly that he needed to rely on his left arm; his right sent a jolt of agony through him with each hit. Not that it stopped him. Slamming one thug hard in the sternum with the palm of his hand he swiveled and pounded an elbow hard into the next guy's jaw. He was vaguely aware of a fist grazing his ribs as he kicked out and struck yet another man in the knee. He caught the following attacker hard on the chin with a fist, grabbed his arm before he fell, and took out the following three attackers by throwing his dead weight directly into their path.

Sanosuke ducked quickly as the following man had the wits to draw a sword on his victim. The ex-gangster growled, catching the attacker's wrist on the next swing and squeezing so hard the bones buckled beneath his grip. The man let out a strangled scream as his cronies moved into to take advantage of the distraction. Taking a few hits gracefully, Sano buried his fist in one man's kidneys first, and then into the second's back. Both fell with nigh a sound.

Gunmetal glinted across the room as the last of the fools tried their head on assault. The ex-gangster found luck on his side as a bullet lodged itself in the stone wall inches from his left ear. The young man ducked low to the floor. Acting on instinct, he snagged the sword that had been forgotten on the floor, stood, and hurled it hard toward the final man. Sanosuke's aim was true. The blade pierced the man's chest straight, driven to the hilt and part way into the wall behind him. Goggle eyed, the man dropped the gun and gurgled before slumping forward. The sword held him upright against the wall.

Panting, Sanosuke sagged against the wall to the stairs and held tight to his throbbing right shoulder. His mind however, was tallying. And he was on a role tonight. The young man grimaced, that was, as he eyed the bodies at his feet, six men dead at his hands to night. Eyes closed and teeth clenched as he bit back the bile that wanted to rise in his throat. People had died because of him before, but six…

Jou-_chan_. He needed to focus on Jou-_chan_, and those two little girls! Nothing else mattered at the moment. May the gods help who ever would stand in his way.

The young man bit his cheek and dragged a hand through his hair, headless at this point of the blood. Turning, he half staggered back to where Suzume sat hunched tight against the staircase wall, both hands covering her ears. Sanosuke bent down before her, and gently nudged her knee with a hand. The tiny girl opened her eyes; those wide frightened eyes and stared blankly at him for a moment before flinging herself at him, cherubic arms caught tight around his neck. Sano sighed, and loosely wrapped his left arm about her and allowed the child to sniffle into the curve of his neck.

"Uncle Sano… I don' wanna be here anymore. I'm scared… I want my _Ojii-san_!"

Sanosuke did his best to shush the girl. What could he say to her, really? "I know kiddo. I know. I'll get you to your '_Ji-san_. Promise. But, you gotta be brave for me. We have ta' find Kaoru and your sister_, ne_?"

The child's response was muffled against his neck. "Yeah…"

"So, let's get goin'."

The girl clung even more furiously to his neck. Sanosuke sighed again; he'd been doing that a lot lately. Slipping his arm beneath the girl's bottom, he hoisted her up with him and gingerly began picking his way through the scatter of bodies on to the stairs across the way. Kuromori had said the third floor, that's where Sano was heading. He delicately avoided the corpse stuck to the wall as he maneuvered up the following flight of stairs. A little girl's scattered hiccups in his ear, and the draining burden of blood loss working to eat away at his adrenaline flow.

_Chapter Notes:_

Ojii-_san_- Essentialy means "grandfather".

Author's Notes: 11/04

Bows My humble apologies, dear readers, for an inexcusable wait. Writer's block is murder. However, as I sat at this computer filling out my College Application, the finale for this chapter struck me with the force of a Futai no Kiwami. Needless to say, my college app. is not yet completed, but after nearly a year chapter three of _Chains required_ is.

I'm working right now on Chapter four. I make absolutely NO guarantees on when it will be finished. To be warned ahead of time, however, my plans for Four are rather darker than previous chapters. We'll see once I finish, but it may be better to up the story rating to R at that point. I intend to deal with a subject (or two) that may seriously offend or sicken. Appropriate warnings will be placed when the chapter is uploaded, of course.

To the reviewers- Bless you and your kind, encouraging, and thoughtful comments. I truly appreciate knowing that I have, in your opinion, kept the characters in character. Cannon is very important to me. Having the agreement that yes, this is leading toward the dark twist of angst, is also good for me. I spent so many years in Humor that a good angst is truly a challenge. Your comments, and yes, your e-mails have been a burr under my saddle for nearly a year. A good sort of burr, the one that says, 'Get your arse in gear and write the bloomin' chapter already!'

Chapters one and two have each been slightly modified and will be re-uploaded at the same time this chapter is put up. I hoped to fix a few glaring errors and better prepare a few sections for upcoming chapters. The changes are minor; if you do not want to re-read those chapters, you won't miss much. Ah, and Kegoin- you will be happy to know I changed all of the "I say" lines just for you.

_DoC_


	4. Hurting People is My Business

05/06 – Minor clean up of spelling and grammer errors (that I caught...) and reposted. Content remains the same. If you remember the story and care to move on, you won't have missed anything. DoC

Warning, there is some subject matter in this chapter that some readers may find offensive. Violence. The rating has gone up. There is a reason. Heed it.

**Chains Required, Whips Optional**

A Tale or Rurouni Kenshin

Chapter Four: Hurting People is My Business

The second floor window showed a spectacular view of the ocean, visible beneath the stars of deep night. The moon had long since set; it was perhaps two in the morning. The ex-gangster took quick notice of this as he continued cautiously along the corridor, his eyes scanning all of the closed doors down its length. There was a Samurai suit of amour at either end of the hall and nothing else in the way of décor. He made the passage un-challenged and worked up to the third floor. Again, it was marked by a corridor, a window at the far end and a number of doors down both walls. There was but a single wall scroll, something quite lude at that, between two of the doors. Nothing else, aside from stone walls, was to entertain the observer.

Sanosuke gently readjusted the weight of the child he carried; Suzume still clung resolutely to his neck. As much as danger lurked in these halls, Sano was not inclined to shove the little girl off. She trusted him, he would not betray her that. Aside from the occasional muffled snuffle of his charge, the hall was silent. The young man crept with a grace few associated with him, despite the shackles still attached to his ankles, slowly passed each door, stopping to press an ear to each Western styled swinging frame. Any kid who had spent an amount of time on the Tokyo streets, the east side, knew how to creep and how to eavesdrop. The ex-gangster continued with the air of a cat-burglar. He had certainly seen his fair share of the Tokyo streets.

The young man was well aware that the number of men he had fought in this beast of a place did not yet tally to the number he had seen boarding the long boats. The silence was made all the heavier by that knowledge. Kuromori had indeed raised an alarm; the ambush surely must have proven that. Would that mean extra guard about Jou-_chan_, or about Kuromori himself? There in was the real question, as the Western dressed kidnapper had proven himself a coward at their first encounter. Did he run toward the other two girls, or off someplace else? Sanosuke sneered to himself as he pressed an ear against yet another silent door frame.

He had no love for cowardly men, and even less so for those who kidnapped lil' girls to use as hostages against a man who did not deserve any of this. True, Kenshin had killed many men, but when all is said and done, those deaths happened in _war_. Kuromori's vendetta with Kenshin had to have something to do with a death. The guy could not _possibly_ be talented enough with his blade to have a long standing challenge with Kenshin like Saito did. And Kuromori seemed to take it all far too personally to be just resentment for what the Battôsai had stood for.

A wooden plank shanked between stone tiles squeaked beneath Sano's weight, the young man froze instantly. The tiny noise had fairly screamed in his ears, he was certain for a brief moment that the entire fortress must have heard him. Moments passed, nothing with in the corridor moved. The ex-kenkaya let out a breath he had been unaware of holding before continuing on to his next door. Again, to find nothing. He had made his way nearly three quarters of the way down this third story hall when he caught a faint sound that neither he nor Suzume had made.

Voices, muted by a heavy wooden door. Couldn't have been far from where they stood. Sanosuke felt his heart beat speed up and as he stepped gingerly toward the source of the sounds he found a black edge attempting to work it's way into his vision. The young man ground his teeth silently and positioned himself against the wall just to the right of the suspect door. He felt the pricklings of sweat slip from his hair line and down his temples. He was also keenly aware of the blood that slicked his shoulder, and down the right side of his back, soaking through bandages and Aku jacket alike. As well as the mass of agony that was the wound which was causing his distress.

Pain was a thing which Sagara Sanosuke not only knew, but intimately understood. Pain he could work for days with. Blood loss on the other hand, that could take down a freakin' ox.

Sliding up beside the door, Sanosuke forced himself to take a deep breath and calm that racing heart. He then pulled Suzume as gently as he could from his neck and set her on the floor further from the frame. The child looked up at him, bewildered. In response, he placed a finger to his lips and pointed toward the noise before laying his ear against the solid wooden planks. It was muffled, but the nature of the voices if not their intent could be inferred right away.

There was a conversation going on between three men. Somewhat lively. There was ruff laughter, though it did not sound of good humor. There was a sound in the background, something he couldn't determine, but felt decidedly out of place. This conversation carried on for several minutes. And then Sano heard a sound that made his heart leap in his chest, a small voice. A distinctly child like voice. It took a few moments, but Sanosuke soon realized what the other sound was...

Sobbing.

The young street brawler thought for certain that his heart had worked up into his throat by that point. That was Ayame's voice. Kaoru was behind the sobbing. He had no doubt. Further thought on the matter was interrupted by a child's window rattling screech from with in the room and a hoarse, fearful wail from the young woman. There was no more room for though. Only action. It was strictly an unconscious act, his preforming the two-level fist on the wooden door. Emotions had yet to catch up Sano's actions as he stepped into the room and the scattered reminents of wood.

The inklings of terror that may have driven Sanosuke through the door were fast replaced by an emotion the young man had no problem with recognizing. Rage. Undampened, unfettered, and unholy rage.

Before the young man stood three men, all slowly in the process of registering what on earth was going on. In the corner little Ayame huddled on the floor, her arms wrapped tight about her knees and her eyes wide with horror. Against the right wall and on the floor lay Kaoru, pressed tight against the solid structure. The girl was stripped of her Kimono and under wrappings, her upper body bared except for the arms she had tightly crossed above her heaving breasts. Her lower was still covered by undergarments. Her kimono was thoroughly shredded in a pile against the opposite wall. Above Kaoru stood a heavy set man who was apparently in the process of stripping himself down. Behind him were the other two men, gaping at the intruder in shock.

In the red haze that shrouded Sanosuke's vision, if he would have had time to ponder it, there may have been a vague vision of a statue of the god of destruction. A statue just like the one in a certain chamber, a title just like the one a former teacher of his bore. Perhaps, had he the time, the young man could have reflected on the irony in that. However, as the true meaning of the scene before him struck, time and thought lost out to that all encompassing rage.

Plowing forward, Sanosuke grabbed the man who stood over Kaoru. His left hand clasping tightly to the man's face, his loose jowls squeazed tight between fingers. The attacker howled as he was lifted from his feet by his head. Sano turned hard from there, ramming the beast backward with all of his considerable might, between his two comrades. The wall there happened to be a brick section. The skull that struck it may have shattered, but it was struck with such force that the bricks buckled backwards into the adjacent room. The mortar crumbled even as bits of brain and scattered blood seeped into the dry pores.

Hand still clasped tightly to the first man's ruined skull, Sanosuke turned eyes that glinted with a predators fierce power on the two remaining. There was a moment frozen in time. Sano knew he had full control and the captors knew with out doubt that they were outmatched. Abruptly a keening sound escaped one of the men and he bolted for the empty door frame, the second moving hot on his heels. The second man was not fast enough as with brute intent the raging street brawler turned and grasped a hand full of of black hair just as he made it into the hall. Taking a further step into the hall, Sanosuke pulled his prey behind him and with a mighty heave, threw the man left armed down the last of the length of that hall and headfirst out of the small window at the end. There was a faint scream as he plunged the several stories down to the ocean below.

Twisting in place, the young man looked down the hall to where the third captor had run. There was no sight of him to be had. More was the pity.

This time it was perhaps the complete silence left behind that drew Sanosuke from his wrath. Blinking, he looked down to a spot beside the door to see little Suzume with hands clasped tightly about her middle staring up at him. It was a most frightened and pitiful look. Sanosuke was hard pressed to take his eyes from the child's face, however he did. Drawing them up to the shattered window and back down to the child in the hall. The girl had seen it all. Rather, the girls had seen it all...

---------------

The twin horse team panted with each mighty pull forward. Sweat slicked their coats and soaked the yolk about each mighty creature. The driver drove them hard as he had been commanded by his boss; this mission was of dire importance. It had to have been at that. Nothing good ever came out of Matsuo-jo.

Inside of the dark carriage were two benches. Kenshin and Yahiko sat on one, across from them, cigarette between gloved fingers sat Saito Haijime. Kenshin watched the man as he thoughtfully blew out a puff of smoke. "One more time, Himura, from the top. Don't sort the details."

Beside him, Yahiko outright bristled, "He's already told you three times what we know _and_ all of the details!"

"Then it should be a simple matter to go over it a fourth."

Kenshin held up a hand to the boy beside him as he prepared to retort. Kenshin knew what it was that Saito was after. As much as he did not personally like the man, he had been and still was a remarkably astute leader. A leader liked to make sure all of the information was presented and in order. It _was_ frustrating that the man did not believe Kenshin himself had not been precise in the first telling. Perhaps that too was part of Saito's intent. Or, perhaps he was more concerned about a certain rooster head than the officer would like to admit.

"This one and Yahiko were fetching tofu for Kaoru-_dono. _There was a sensation that something had gone array. We turned and rushed back to the dojo."

Saito puffed on his cigarette. "Just a feeling. You didn't see anyone or anything out of the ordinary."

Kenshin nodded, they had been over that before as well. "This one had not. When we arrived at the dojo, the gates were thrown wide. There were spots of blood on the ground which we followed to the rear of the dojo. The dirt was much disturbed there, remnants of a skirmish. Also, there were signs where to bodies had fallen. One larger and one smaller. One was Kaoru-dono, one was Sano. From the pattern of steps, I could determine that Sano had done combat with several men, perhaps thirteen or fifteen. What apparently brought Sano and Kaoru down were gunshots."

"Guns are expensive, even if you know the correct dealers," interrupted Saito, "Tell me more of the casings you found. Did you recognize any from more than one type of gun?"

Kenshin sighed, this was new ground. "This one does not know. There were shotgun shells in the immediate area. If other weapons were used from other places, this one would not have seen the casings."

Yahiko groaned. "Why does that even matter? What important is that they were wounded and kidnapped."

"It is good to know what weaponry you face before rushing headlong in to combat, that it is."

Puffing out a breath of smoke, Saito stated. "If you care to keep all of your body parts intact. Continue, Himura."

Kenshin inclined his head. "There was a note attached by shuriken to the outside of the dojo. It was signed by one Kuromori Ichiro. In it he stated his intent in kidnapping was to obtain a duel with this one over his brother. He also claimed he would kill one of them for each day that I had not arrived. The last of the note stated that he was taking his captives the the castle in the sky. From this it was easy to determine Matsuo-_jo_. Yahiko and this one then ran back to town in search of a carriage."

Saito tapped the ashes off the end of the cigarette. "Indeed, where you ran into me. Good day for you, no other carriage would carry you with no payment, especially not this far. Tell me, of what skill level is Kuromori?"

"This one does not know as this one has never done combat with the elder brother, only the younger."

Saito grunted in acknowledgment as he cast his eyes toward the window. "Obviously the men are of no great skill if the Aho can take on thirteen to fifteen with relative success. Gunshot not included."

"The ground scaring did not make it appear so."

"Comforting. I wonder if that is the lot of this Kuromori's forces. No matter."

Yahiko, who had turned his attention to the window and the dark landscape outside leaned forward and stared intently at something. "Is that the place?"

Focusing on the view himself Kenshin took in the scene of dark rippling ocean with sharp cliffs about it and a pillar of an island out perhaps a mile. Atop it stood a very large building. The shadow and light effects were most eary between the moon and the mirror that was the ocean. "It is. This is Matsuo-_jo_. It seems to have earned it's name of 'castle in the sky.'"

Yahiko turned and looked at him with quirked eyebrow. "What do you mean 'it seems?' You talked before like you had been here, you knew the place so well."

"This one has not. Matsuo-_jo_ is well known if not often spoke of anymore. Any who have heard of it know it's full reputation, that they do."

"In any case, we are all about to see it now." Saito stated. "We've arrived at the nearest beach."

Leading the way, Saito opened the carriage door as it came to a halt on the soft sand and steeped out into the brisk nighttime air. Kenshin followed him and Yahiko took the rear. Kenshin looked to the beach itself first, as he was well aware that Saito was doing the same. It was apparent that several feet had tread here recently, into six boats. Nothing else was left to shore. Kenshin looked up from his exam and briefly caught Saito's eye. The message was clear. They had very little time to spare.

Yahiko looked about as well, and then out to the great fortress. "There aren't any boats here; how do we get there?"

"I do hope you enjoy swimming." Saito flicked his cigarette butt off into the ocean even as he stated this.

"Swim! I... what was _that_?"

Kenshin frowned as he had heard and quickly identified the cause and source of the noise. "It sounded like a scream from the fortress, that it did."

Saito grunted. "Whoever it was, they don't have to worry about swimming after falling from that tower. That does not get us there any faster, however."

Kenshin nodded and lead the way into the water. Fears plagued him. He could sense there nearness of his friends, of Kaoru-dono. He could not help but wonder though, if Kuromori had chosen to take a life dear to him earlier than expected. By sending that person off of the great tower that was the isle of Matsuo.

Author's Notes 11/05

Humble apologies go round once again. My delays are intolerable, I agree. I will finish this beast yet! (At this rate, just give me a few years...) Yes, short Chapter. I felt it best to end there. I tried to keep certain detail content to a minumun, but the creative reader could easily infer my intent. The next chapter is started. I also actually wrote myself an outline at this point in order to motivate myself. Like I said I will finish this!

If it is any consolation, this is intended to be a six chapter story, and here you are at the end of chapter four.

Thank you again for the wonderful reviews. They really do help eat away at this author's writer's block. They are always welcome, appreciated, and well taken care of once received.

Chapter five will be a climactic sequence. Chapter six, emotional angst and conclusion. They'll be posted as typed (the usual.)

_Doc_


	5. Burying the Forgotten Hatchet

05/06 – Minor clean up of spelling and grammer errors (that I caught...) and reposted. Content remains the same. If you remember the story and care to move on, you won't have missed anything. DoC

**Chains Required, Whips Optional**

A Tale or Rurouni Kenshin

Chapter Five: Burying the Forgotten Hatchet

There was such a thing as a sense of deep dread even to the skewed perception of Sagara Sanosuke. He had committed a most heinous act. He had killed before the eyes of innocents. And the terror of that was reflected back at him several times over in the large doe eyes of a four-year old girl. She'd seen him kill more than one tonight, sweet little Suzume. He knew that look. He had worn that look himself so many years ago...

---------------Fade---------------

"Sanosuke, do you see the hill over there?"

Little Sanosuke peered through the shrubbery to look across a small plain finding the hill his Capitan was referring to. "Hai, Sagara Taichou."

Sagara Sozou nodded at the boy and smiled gently at him. They knelt in the soft dirt near the edge of a forested grove. The captain wore a navy Sekihotai uniform, katana at his waist. The child wore a tan farm outfit, synched tight about his waist. Both wore the ever present red bandanna of the Sekihotai, a gentle breeze playing the tails. Behind them in various places was the bulk of the first unit of the Sekihotai, scattered throughout the trees. "Our enemy is behind that hill, Sanosuke."

"They are?" Large brown eyes were wide with innocent child like wonder.

"Yes, they are."

"How do you know, Taichou?"

"Do you remember when I sent the scouts? They just returned and informed of the enemy position."

"Do they know we're here then?"

The elder snorted, amused by the boy even though he was more than aware of the gravity of the situation at hand. "Sanosuke, I have no doubt that they know we are here."

Sanosuke, having run from home three weeks before hand and joined the army, was out of his element as to how war and battle worked. "Isn't that bad?"

"Not necessarily. It is the way things work. You will find that out as you travel with us. In just a few moments we will go and engage them. I want you to go with Katsuhiro back to the river in the woods and wait for one of us to fetch you. I will have a gun sent with Katsuhiro, as he has proven himself rather adept with the weapon, so you don't have to worry about any ambushes of your own."

"Can't I go with you, Taichou? Or can I stay here? I want to see!"

Sozou closed his eyes and sighed softly. "No, dear boy, it is best if you go back to the river. War is no amazing thing to see, I promise you that," He was interrupted by another runner, who bent and whispered something in his captain's ear, "Of course, Jun, I'll be right there. Sanosuke, be a good lad and do as your captain tells you."

The leader stood then, ruffling the boy's hair fondly and moving back to his ranks. Calling them to order, he marched them onto the field. The child jumped when Katsuhiro slipped up behind him. "Yo Sano, you really wanna see it? The battle I mean?"

"Katsu no baka! You nearly sacred the life out of me! Yeah, I wanna see it."

Katsu grinned, leaning on the gun stalk in his hand, nearly as tall as the boy himself. Katsu had been with the army two years longer than Sanosuke, as a junior member he said. Katsu was also three years older than Sano, and was usually left in charge of the new recruit. "Then let's stay here, battle is neat to watch."

"But Sagara Taichou said..."

"Don't worry about it Sano, I know what he said, and I know he won't know unless you tell him. Will you?"

"No, Katsu, but I don't think..."

"I know you don't think. Now shut up and follow me, I found a great place to watch from."

--------------- Fade---------------

Sanosuke had indeed watched that battle. It had been his first time to witness killing. He had been shell shocked. It was the first step toward... toward being someone as screwed up on morals as he was. The young man focused again on Suzume and slowly, as though confronting an animal, reached his right hand out to the little girl. His shoulder still hurt like hell, but that hand was cleaner at the moment. The little girl took only a moment, much to his relief, to reach out and grasp that hand. He gave it a little squeeze and moved back into the room, eyes averted from the right wall.

The two girls inside had not moved. Expressions had changed but positions had not. Both sets of eyes turned directly to him. Kaoru still sat on the floor. Tiny shivers racked her body. Those cornflower blue irises focused on his every movement. Sanosuke swallowed and slipping his hand from Suzume's grip, the ex-gangster took the jacket from his shoulders. Moving toward Kaoru, he was surprised for a moment to see the girl flinch. Jou-_chan_ did not flinch about anything normally. Unfortunately, he had seen this before. Rape was not uncommon on the streets of Tokyo.

Locking eyes with the young woman, Sanosuke held out his admittedly blood stained jacket. "I jus' wanna give you somethin' to wrap yourself in, Jou-_chan_. Nothing else."

Fat tears began forming at the corners of her eyes and she choked and sobbed nodding her approval of the offer. The young man swayed as he took another step toward her, adrenaline once again leaving him wallowing in that hole of seeping wariness and pain. Sano dropped hard to his knees beside Kaoru, unable to do so gracefully at this point. The young man was sure to avert his eyes as he gave the jacket to the girl. She wrapped herself in it quickly. Kaoru tugged on his pant softly when she had completed and he turned his head back toward her. The tears were running fully now. Gazing up at him for a long moment, she apparently made up her mind and holding the jacket closed with one hand she half crawled onto Sano's lap , then wrapping both arms tightly around him and burying her face in his chest.

The young man was unsure of what to do about this. He had always been awkward at best in situations with women crying. Raising his right hand, he gently patted her back. "Did he hurt ya', Jou-_chan_?"

To Sanosuke's relief, the young woman shook her head no. He sighed. At least in his list of failures for the past two days, he would not have to include that. He had managed to save his little sister of the heart from something as horrible as that from happening. By the state of dress she was in though, it had been by far to close of a call. Looking up to the kids in the room, silent as mice though they were, he called out softly to them. "Come over here Ayame-_chan,_ Suzume-_chan_. We're all back together now."

Impressively, in spite of what they had witnessed him do, both children obeyed with out question. Sliding in together and wrapping their arms about each other, Kaoru and Sanosuke. The young man brought his right arm about all of them, holding them close and shielding them from the sight on the right wall in one move. The two girls joined their "big sister" Kaoru in sobbing into Sano's chest. Sano just closed his eyes and held them like that for a few minutes. As he did, he silently willed the black that kept encroaching on the edges of his vision away. The edge of it pulsed with his every heartbeat. Much as just a bit more blood slipped through the bandaging and down his back with every beat. The pain was not something that wanted to be ignored anymore either.

So there they sat, the girls seeking comfort in their savior, the killer, and Sano attempting to gather himself for what lay ahead. He had to now get the girls out of the fortress, after all. He sighed and squeezed them a little tighter. "It'll be alright now. We're all together. Everyone is okay. We jus' need to get out of here."

Kaoru's grip on him tightened dramatically, he looked down on her head. "You don't wanna stay here, do you Jou-_chan_?"

She shook her head no, yet to look up and meet him eye to eye again. "Then, there's nothing to worry about. We'll get out. I'll protect you if anything comes along."

Kaoru sighed through her tears before pulling herself back, the children pulling back as well. She looked up at him then and without saying a word raised her left arm before him, the one that had been wrapped about the right side of his back. Her arm and his coat sleeve were now covered in blood. It was Ayame who said softly, "I don't think your very okay, Uncle Sano. "

Oh. Was that bothering them? "I'm fine. I'll make it out of here no problem. We all will." Sanosuke swallowed then, and looking directly into Kaoru's eyes he added, "I promise you that."

The young woman's eyes softened slightly at that, and Sano offered her a small smile. Still, she did not say a word. The ex-gangster grunted then and began forcing his tired body to a standing position. Up was a problem, once he was there everything would be fine. Closing eyes tightly and using left arm for support, the young man said, "We need to up and run now though, while they're still caught off guard. So, let's move."

He was surprised, and under different circumstances would have been slightly humiliated, when he felt Kaoru slide an arm under his left shoulder and help him to his feet. Sano blinked his eyes open and looked again at the girl, her arm now supporting him about the waist. She shifted from his left side to his right then, and pulled his wounded arm across her own shoulder. Sano was confused however, to have her then reach up behind his head and untie the ever present bandanna. This she took, and explained silently her need, as the young woman tied it about her middle to hold the coat closed. The street brawler was temporarily dazed by this idea. Blinking, he looked back at Kaoru's face, and then proceeded to blow a now unrestrained fringe of hair from his eyes. "I've used that bandanna for emergencies alota' times, Jou-_chan,_ but I can honestly say it's never been used as a coat synch before."

Kaoru offered him a wobbly smile, nothing more. This silence could become a problem. It would mean that until she spoke again, all Sano would have to haunt him would be her frightened yell. Not that it wouldn't haunt his nightmares for the rest of his days as it was... That and little Ayame's scream. Ayame. "Come on girls, let's go, _ne_?"

No response. Tracing the path of both children's eyes, he noted that they seemed transfixed by the man on the floor in the room. Skull caved in. Moving himself and Kaoru about so that they blocked the view, he asked the children again, "You ready to go?"

Ayame turned once again blank eyes upon him. It was Suzume, blessed little Suzume, who turned dark eyes to meet Sanosuke's own. Those eyes were full of a determination that one would not expect of a four year old. Grasping tightly to her older sister's hand, Suzume then grabbed a fistful of Sano's pants. Bobbing her head, she looked back up and said, "Let's go back to Ojii-san and Uncle Kenny."

The ex-kenkaya's smile was sincere. "That's the idea, kiddo."

With a determined air revived of his own, Sanosuke turned and with the support of Kaoru, began leading them out. Once beyond the frame of the door, Kaoru paused before pointing in the opposite direction of the stairs. Sanosuke was puzzled. "You... came up this way?"

The young woman nodded and began leading him this time. She reached the right hand door at the end of the corridor and with a deft hand pulled it open. To Sano's amazement, there was a much narrower stair case beyond. Just wide enough for one person at a time. Bracing left shoulder against the wall he, the young man peered down the flight. Kaoru made a timid step to go first, Sano held her back. "Let me go first, Jou-_chan_. Just in case."

The young woman did not hesitate or argue, as she was prone to doing. Again, this was something of a bother for Sanosuke, who was so used to the opinionated girl and her loud protests. Using left hand as a guide down the wall, Sanosuke began the trek down. Apparently, this route took them directly to the ground story; there were no break off points to go to any other floors. He approved of this entirely. Fewer exits and entrances meant less chance of further ambush. Until they reached the bottom.

Sano gingerly opened the swinging door at the bottom of the steps. Peering round it, he found to a mutual chagrin and pleasure That Kuromori and a group of men were standing at the other end of the large reception room that greeted him. This was the entrance hall. Lying at the foot of the stair case that lead up to the second floor, was a mass of tangled bodies. Some unconscious, other's dead. Across the ante chamber was the flight of stairs leading to the dungeon. Pinned to the wall against the upper flight, was a man speared through with a sword. The men all stood near the doors that lead out to the stairs used to climb to Matsuo-_jo_. By the look of things, they were making escape plans. Unfortunately, the eleven men and their leader were still plenty to take all of the six rowboats docked ashore.

Sanosuke couldn't allow that, there was no way he and the girls would make it swimming out of this hell hole.

Adrenaline once again became the young man's friend as it pumped into his veins at the sight of Kuromori. Strength returned to him, and he left the safety of the wall for support. Kaoru made a half pleading gesture behind him, clasping his left forearm hard and shaking her head 'no' as he moved to push the door open all of the way. Sano brushed her off, eyes glinting. This would end here one way or another.

The ex-kenkaya stepped fully into the ante chamber. "You aren't planning on runnin' now are you, Kuromori?"

Twelve heads turned hard in his direction. Cinnamon eyes, wide with terror focused on him. Sano smirked. There was an anger that still rallied in him, dampened one too many times. He wouldn't just leave this alone. He couldn't just cut his losses and run. Kuromori would pay for this entire indesgrecian. "I hope you don't think your gonna make it."

Kuromori's turned briefly to the door, the only exit from Matsuo, before facing Sanosuke again. Apparently, he didn't think they would make it off the isle either. Gesturing quickly to his remaining men, he twisted and ran up the grand stair case that lead to the second floor. His command came out as more of a cry, "To the war chamber, hurry!"

Had Sanosuke the ability for rationality at that point, he would have known the wisdom of leaving while they had the opportunity. Wise decisions were not on his mind right then. Burying the hatchet was. Forgetting the girls, knowing they were safe as Kuromori and the last of his stragglers fled up the stairs, Sano followed hard on their heels. Adrenaline blinding him to his own fatigue and utter weakness, the young man had no problems taking the stairs two at a time. Rounding the corner at the top, the young man slid on a small puddle of blood, falling hard on his right shoulder. He hissed as stars danced in his vision. Twisting in position, he spied the captor darting into a room about midway down the hall.

Temper and adrenaline once again muffled his pain as Sanosuke jerked himself up from the floor, already running again before he was entirely up right. Skidding to a halt before that now closed door, the ex-kenkaya did not even bother with the handle. Loosing an inarticulate yell into the hall, he flew a left handed Futai-no-Kiwami hard into the wood. The door exploded into the room with in. The place was another large room, half the size of the ante-chamber below. The walls were lined with an arrangement of weapons. The eleven men were along each wall, each with some sort of sharp device in his hands. Kuromori stood on a table near the other end of the room, katana drawn. "Attack him now!"

---------------

With hardly a splash, Kenshin leapt from the dark waters of the ocean bay and to the small beach of Matsuo. On his heels, Saito slipped gracefully out of the bay. Behind him, and panting hard, Yahiko splashed noisily from the waters. Kenshin paused long enough to asses if the boy was all right before taking off at full sprint up the long flight of stairs that lead to the castle entrance. He could sense them all now, so very close. And alive.

Saito paced up along side of him as Yahiko dropped behind. Kenshin knew he could not wait for the boy, however. Upon reaching the great steel banded double doors, the rurouni and the wolf both plowed into a door each, spreading them wide and letting the torch light from with in bather the darkness outside. Two things hit him at once. The overwhelming sent of blood and death and the sight of the girls just across the room.

Sano was nowhere to be seen. Blessedly, even among the bodies on the floor.

Kenshin stepped over one of the unmoving corpses and moved gingerly towards the girls. They seemed terrified. The two little ones distressed, but in good condition. Kaoru, dressed only in Sano's Aku jacket, backed up as he stepped nearer. Ayame and Suzume had no such problems. "Uncle Kenny!"

It was stated in unison. Instead of resounding with joy, the words were driven by relief and desperation. Offering a brief smile for the children, Kenshin dropped a hand on each of their heads even as his vivid blue eyes looked back up to Kaoru. She didn't say a word. The young woman's arms were wrapped tight about her chest, she wore a look of fear that the Rurouni had hoped she would never have upon seeing him. Kenshin felt his heartbeat pick up in his chest. If Kaoru-_dono_ wore Sanosuke's jacket, then what had happened to _her _clothing? The entire scene and response would imply...

"Where is Sagara."

Kenshin was brought back to the present by Saito's resounding voice. Perhaps he did not want to contemplate just then exactly what had happened to Kaoru. As usual, the officer's question came out as more of an ordered statement. Yahiko made it up to the doors at that point, and stepped into the room with an audible gasp. Impatient, Saito turned predatorily eyes upon the girls near Kenshin. "_Where is_ Sagara."

Little four year old Suzume bit her lip before pointing up a grand flight of stairs. "Uncle Sano wen' after the bad guys up the stairs."

Glancing up in that direction, Kenshin spotted the man pinned against the wall. "Who did all of this?"

Ayame eyed the bodies, her face a contortion of horror. Kaoru closed her eyes and bit hard on her lower lip. Suzume looked the samurai directly in his eyes and stated, "Uncle Sano. They were gonna hurt us."

Kenshin felt a wave of horror wash over him. Sano...? The rurouni tallied the destruction wrought and paled. Sano had killed. A great deal. His young friend had always been rowdy and violent, but Kenshin had always seen him as innocent at heart. This... was not the act of an innocent.

The red head stared up toward the second floor. Realization dawned and he was bolting hard for the stairs. He needed to stop Sano from doing any worse, from bloodying his hands any further. What ever was on Saito's mind, he had already graced the top and was disappearing along the upper story even as Kenshin himself bound up the stairs. There were sounds of a battle on this floor. The samurai slid to a halt beside a now stock still Saito. The room beyond was more than a scene to behold.

---------------

Sanosuke was pleased to hear the order and barred his teeth in what might have passed for a grin as the men all came at him. With a grunt, the ex-kenkaya ducked a blow from a broad sword, coming up and palming its wielder hard in the sternum. He rotated with the man and used him as a shield from another who heaved a large wooden baton full of spikes down across his comrade's shoulders. Sano let the man fall even as he screamed and bound through a small opening over toward the left wall. Reaching up to the wooden pegs, the street brawler grabbed the first thing he could reach.

The mace was huge.

The young man turned and held the wooden grip up in time to block a blow from a military Katana. The sword pinged off of the metal shielding plates near the top of the crude weapon. Sanosuke took this brief respite to heave the heavy spiked ball at the end of the chain hard into the next man's middle, crushing his lower ribcage. The man spit out blood even as he collapsed to the floor. The young man then swung backwards with the wooden end of the mace, catching the katana wielder with a glancing blow to his head. He dropped like a stone.

The street brawler moved fast enough to duck another swing from the man with the spiked baton, only to take a hard hit to his back from a man wielding a small war hammer. Sanosuke twisted hard as he staggered, just missing a hit from a man with battle axe held in a tight two handed grip. The young man stood up right then and spun on his heel, letting the mace fly wide about him in a circle. The unorthodox move caught three men off their guard and sent each flying into a wall. Recovering from this spin, Sano plowed the front of the wooden handle into the gut of the man with the battle axe, he staggered and fell to the floor.

Dodging a second hit from the war hammer, the ex-kenkaya instead found himself thwacked hard on his wounded shoulder with a quarter staff. Grunting in pain, Sanosuke tried to turn and return the favor. He was caught off balance by the man with the huge club as he swiped at Sano's left leg. The street brawler hissed as the spikes tore into his flesh. Pulling instinctively back from it, he tripped over another man behind him and they both went tumbling to the floor.

Instinct had Sanosuke roll quickly even as his leg pounded in pain. The war hammer fell just then, shattering the ribs of the unlucky fellow Sano had landed on. Mace still gripped tight, Sano swung the ball at the knee cap of the hammer wielder, dropping him hard. Moving fast, the young man stood up and rammed his left shoulder hard into the man with the club, driving him the five steps backwards into the wall of weaponry. His skull cracked soundly on the stone, he dropped there. Spinning fast, Sano threw the mace at the last remaining flunky with enough force as to drive the man back to the opposite side of the room.

Chocolate brown eyes hard as steel turned onto Kuromori, who held his ground on the table. Left arm and sword shaking, sweat beading down his forehead. "N-now Sagara-kun. You wouldn't have t-taken my threats seriously? I w-was just kidding around a-about the whole thing! I-- Battosai!"

"Sano!"

The young man exhaled and turned slowly to face the blown out door. There stood Kenshin, his face hard. Beside him Saito, his look for all the world appraising, thoughtful. But it was Kenshin's fierce eyes that raised the hackles on his neck. "Sano, this one can not condone this. Leave Kuromori to me. We will not kill him or anyone else tonight."

Kuromori collapsed onto his knees on the table. "Oh Battosai, you are a gracious and..."

Sanosuke however growled, his eyes blazing. "Stuff it you fuckin' coward! Kenshin, have you seen Kaoru? Did'ja take a good long look at the girl? This is the bastard that ordered it! I can't let that go!"

"This one did see her Sano. And this one is angered by it, but killing is not the answer."

"Yeah, and what is? Put 'im in jail? Let 'im break out and try it again? Does that sound like a good answer? I don't fuckin' think so!"

The rurouni's eyes narrowed. "He will receive due punishment."

The young man however, the rage flaring still with in him looked up the ceiling and fairly howled, "Kenshin, I can only think of two good punishments for this guy! Either we rape him or kill 'im and I ain't volunterin' for the first!"

With that, he stormed from the room, directly between Kenshin and a silent Saito. Sano turned with intent of marching on down the stairs. He didn't make it. His tired body had finally given it's all and the world went black as the floor came up fast under his chin. Sanosuke was finally free from it all, for a time.

Language Notes:

_kenkaya_- Fighter for Hire. Mentioned it before, but I never did translate.

_Taichou_- Capitan (as in 'Capitan Sagara')

_Hai_- yes

'_Katsu no Baka'_- 'Katsu you stupid'

Author's Notes 11/05

What is this? Two chapters in one month? Egads! But if you must know, I've been waiting the whole story to write this chapter. It was such fun! I just adore unusual fight scenes, I just hope their coming across coherently. I really did just fly threw them here, it was very easy to get into the morbid horror of it all. I'm starting to wonder if I should change one of the genre's on this... "Horror: The Night Sanosuke went on a Killing Spree..."

Anyway, I know only two of you had a chance to review the last chapter, but they were a pleasure to read. I'm very pleased to be considered original. As to you Avek, I agree about the normal portrayal of Sanosuke. I like to think he is more complex than the one dimensional character he is often written as. (Not always, I've read some fantastic stories out there where he actually is a fleshed out character.) I'm just after proving a point that the man is not all together as innocent as many want to see him.

So, can you see where the real angst will come in before I wrap this up? Oh... Sano Kenshin tension. Have to love a good 'bout of anger between friends. And how will Kaoru respond to all of this?

Well you will find out when I type and post the finale to this story in chapter six.

Here's hoping for your continued enjoyment of this work of fiction in all of it's dark glory, and your continued patience with my sporadic posts. (There is a light at the end of the tunnel now though )

_DoC_


	6. Happiness is Good Health and Bad Memory

**Chains Required, Whips Optional**

A Tale of Rurouni Kenshin

Conclusion: Happiness is Good Health and a Bad Memory

Limbs immobile, throat parched, head pounding, and an unbelievable heat. There was no doubt about it, he did not need to open his eyes to know that he had been strapped down in the middle of a desert somewhere. Except for that cool wet touch of cloth that kissed his forehead every so often. And the distinct sound of familiar voices. Sanosuke groaned quietly. Perhaps a desert was not the correct explanation. Perhaps he had been run down by a runaway carriage... repeatedly. That would explain the permeating ache in his body. And, perhaps it was a very warm summer day, which would explain how very thirsty and hot he felt. Certainly that had to be it, he had suffered some accident and was currently in the care of a certain foxy doctor as a result. That was assuredly the Kitsune's soft touch and quiet voice that was easing him back into reality, at any rate.

"Sanosuke, wake up. I have some water for you."

Funny, Megume sounded, well, concerned. Perhaps something more serious had occurred. What did happen to leave him in such a state? And why did his shoulder feel as though an ox were using it as a trampoline? An ox with sharp hooves, at that. Chocolate brown eyes opened slowly, focusing on the lady doctor who was bent down over him. She looked concerned too. The street brawler threw her a weak, crooked smile. "You... always bribe... guys... with... water?"

The sound of his own voice bothered him, gravely and as dry as his throat felt. However, he achieved the desired response from the lady doctor as she smiled in return and arched an eyebrow at him. "Only Roosters who don't seem to be bright enough to keep themselves out of trouble. This may hurt, but I'm going to help you sit up a little. You're running a fever from an infection to that wounded shoulder. Between that and blood loss, you need as much fluid as you can handle."

Sano grunted as the foxy doctor eased her arm beneath his left shoulder and hoisted him up a few inches. His intent was to help but his muscles felt like jelly. In any case, the young man drank thankfully from the cool teacup of water presented to him. After a moment his vision swam and he half choked on the liquid. The kitsune hurriedly eased him back down. Sano groaned, both from the sudden bout with dizziness and the loss of the refreshing water. Somewhere in the back of his mind, the subconscious informed him to thank the lady doctor before he passed out.

-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-

Kenshin shifted ever so slightly from his crouched position in the corner of the room. Sakabato rested balanced across the Rurouni's knee caps. "Megumi-_dono_, how is Sano?"

The woman doctor did not turn to face him, preferring to speak while still fussing with rearranging her patient on the soft mat. "He should be all right. He is very dehydrated; we will need to watch that. But, I've seen this Rooster-head pull through tough situations before."

Megumi stood gracefully, sweeping a stray strand of hair back with one hand while supporting the near empty cup of water with the other. Turning her cinnamon eyes on the red-head, Megumi requested, "Would you watch him for a while for me? I need to check on Kaoru-_chan _and the girls again. "

Kenshin ducked his head in respect, scattering crimson fringe across his face. "This one would be pleased to look after Sano, that I would."

Megumi nodded concisely and turned for the door, placing the teacup on a low table near the wall with a water pitcher perched beside it. "Keep track of his temperature, Ken-san. Be sure to bathe him occasionally. If the rooster should wake up, he will be thirsty again. Only let him sip at the water, not gulp. If anything looks peculiar, be sure to fetch myself or Dr. Gensai right away."

"Of course. You should get some sleep as well, Megumi-_dono._ It does no good for you to work your self ill as well."

The woman covered her mouth with a hand and chuckled softly. "Dear Ken-_san_. I will do what I can, but you must know that my patients come first."

With that Megumi slid the shoji open and disappeared into the dark hall of the clinic. Kenshin waited until the woman's padded footsteps were out of hearing range before gently easing his sakabatou to the floor. Kenshin then maneuvered himself to the younger man's side and kneeled between the water bowl and Sanosuke's head. The rurouni eased his sleeves up and reached for the soft cloth resting in the cool water. He gently slid it along Sano's forehead and neck.

Kenshin was still in somewhat of a state of shock, to be honest. He slid the cloth in a slow rhythmic pattern across the exposed skin of the younger man's chest, avoiding the bandages. There were too many bandages, to many bruises. Kenshin frowned. He was not at all sure of what he felt about this situation. Sano had done the best that he could. Sano had saved the girls. Sano had killed, a lot.

That was the issue, really. Kenshin trusted Sano implicitly. The younger man was brash, headstrong, and enjoyed the darker side of things. They were two very different people, and yet he greatly enjoyed Sano's company. For all that they were different, Sano understood him, often with no words needed. He found he also understood Sano. The younger man was quite mature really, Kenshin often forgot he was speaking with a nineteen year old when conversing with the ex-street fighter. And Sano could also make him laugh.

Yet Sano had killed.

The red haired Rurouni held his priority of not killing in very high regard. He found that most of his new found friends in Tokyo agreed, and looked up to him for it. Sano had never said anything for or against the no killing idea. However, the rurouni in all of his many fights with Sano at his side, had never seen the ex-kenkaya kill anyone. Kenshin had in fact managed to dilute himself into believing that in the respect of death, perhaps Sano was as nieve as Kaoru on Yahiko.

Kenshin wrung out the damp cloth perhaps a tad more vigorously than required. He knew better, about Sano. He had all along. Sano had seen war, moreover, Sano had fought with the Sekiho, along with the adults during the war. It was entirely possible that Sano had killed a man before he was ten years old. And Sano himself had never denied it. He had never been asked of course, but the ex-kenkaya himself had proclaimed while still fighting for a career, that he was hired to fight people, weather they lived or died was not his business. That should have said everything to the rurouni, of course. However, he had taken it for bravado.

Now Kenshin suspected that perhaps men really had died from Sano's mercenary pursuit of cash in Tokyo. And the red head was most unsettled by the discovery. Worse, that Sano was still capable of killing. He was no longer Zanza, he was moving on from his past... Why would he kill? Kenshin frowned deeper to himself. Had the rurouni's philosophy not worn off at all on the younger man? Did not Sano support him in his endeavourers, in his beliefs?

The rurouni sighed, realizing that he would rip the cloth if he continued to wring it with such passion. Kenshin was so unsettled by bearing witness to this side of his friend that he was not entirely sure he even wanted to be in the same room as the dark haired man. Kenshin would have much preferred to be tending to Kaoru-_dono_ at this moment, which was cowardly in and of itself. However, issues with Kaoru-_dono_ were even worse.

The young woman had not spoken a word to anyone since they had discovered her on that island. Not even to Megumi-_dono_. Worse, the young kendo teacher skittered away from any man who would come near her. Kenshin had automatically feared the worse with this response. Kaoru had been raped, there was no other explanation. Upon brining the four victims of Kurimori's madness back to Tokyo and securing them in the clinic, Megumi had reached another conclusion from what Kaoru could physically tell her and what Ayame could fill in verbally. It seemed that while Kaoru had not been raped, it had been a very close thing. In which Sano had saved her.

It was three days later and Kaoru-_dono_ still had not spoken a word, and would not let go of Sano's bloody coat.

Sanosuke groaned softly from the depths of whatever darkness he had fallen once more into. Sleep was the wrong word for it with the fever that burned through his powerful frame. Kenshin sighed, touching the cool clothe to Sano's forehead and running it from temple to temple. The younger man settled back into silence. Indeed, walking into Matsuo-_jo_ and the horror that had happened there had tilted Kenshin's world on its side.

And he felt anger toward the young man who lay ill and pained before him as a result. Some of the anger was entirely unreasonable. There was a small part of Kenshin that blamed Sano for ever even allowing this to happen. While he was at the dojo, those girls were under his protection. This blame was quickly quelled when ever it came up as Kenshin reminded himself yet again that it was his own past, _his own_ history that had truly endangered the people he loved. However, he could still be angry with the younger man for displaying such brutality before such innocent eyes. For bathing them, and himself in human blood. For being so very near to not saving Kaoru-_dono _that she was still scared from the experience. And worse, for very nearly killing Kurimori in cold blood.

They should not have had to argue about that point. They should never have been in a position in which Kenshin should have to remind Sano about not killing a man who was not fighting back. Sano was better than that. Kenshin had thought, anyway, that Sano was a better man that that. And that was where the anger stemmed. Kenshin felt betrayed by Sano's blatantly murderous choice. And yet, there was that tiny portion of him, the Battousi still caught in the back of his memory that agreed with Sano. Upon seeing Kaoru and the girls in the condition they were in, and seeing Sano himself... Battosai agreed indeed that death would have been appropriate.

Kenshin was not Battosai, even if in this situation he needed to remind himself of that fact.

After Sano had stalked in his temper from the castle map room, Kuromri had made a desperate attempt at escaping. Kenshin had quickly caught him and quelled him. Bringing the filth out into the hall he found Saito heaving the limp form of his best friend over a broad shoulder. It was interesting that the wolf had chosen to take Sano and leave Kenshin with the criminal. At the time Kenshin had been both insulted not to be left with the care of his friend while at the same time simmering at said friend. Perhaps Saito knew that on both counts. They had taken a boat back to shore, both of the youngest girls sitting between Kaoru and any of the men. Ayame had shook, Suzume and Kaoru-_dono_ had both kept their eyes on Sano's still form.

All though the police carriage had been crowded, they rushed to the nearest town, and healer to get the most serious injuries immediate attention. There they had stayed for a day until Sano was stabilized. Saito then sent them ahead to Tokyo while he stayed behind to work with the local police on convicting Kuromori. That was what he said he was doing. However, Kenshin wondered perhaps a little bit if the Wolf had not simply taken Kuromori and run him through. Surely Saito would follow the legal system, even on this. He was a police officer after all.

In any case, Kenshin had directed the driver straight to the clinic in Tokyo and explained everything to Megumi-_dono_ and Gensai-_sensei_ as they settled the injured and coddled the children. Which left him in the evening, worried beyond words for Kaoru's mental health and Sano's physical. And left him fuming.

Kenshin sat well into the night with Sanosuke, bathing his head, neck, chest, and arms regularly with the cool clothe. Mind in turmoil and for the most part, over the young man who lay so still before him. In truth, the rurouni was unsure as to whether it was a blessing or a curse to have Sano begin to stir again in the early hours of the morning. The small kerosene lamp that had been set up to keep vigil of the sick room cast shadows on an increasing number of creases on the young dark haired man's face.

Concern won over temper for the moment as Kenshin pressed the cool clothe to Sano's forehead again and called out softly to the younger man. "Sano, wake up. You should have some water, that you should."

Again Sanosuke groaned, low and in the back of his throat. After a moment, one eye cracked open, followed by the other. He focused in slowly on Kenshin. The red head nodded to his friend even if he could not manage a smile for him. "Hello Sano. Allow me fetch the water for you."

The ex-gangster grunted softly in acknowledgment as Kenshin stood and poured the cool liquid from the pitcher in to the tea cup. Kneeling again noiselessly beside the sick bed the Rurouni eased Sanosuke's head up and pressed the porcelain of the teacup to his lips. Sano did not need to be told not to gulp as he seemed pressed to even sip at this point. After a point, the younger man turned his head aside, the cup nearly empty. Kenshin nodded, setting the cup beside him and settling back down to the floor himself. The red head turned his attention back to the water basin and the clothe, wringing it out with care. It took him a matter of moments to realize that Sano was watching him, however he did not rush as he turned back to the younger man. He could not trust himself just yet to start conversation. Silence was a better option.

Apparently, Sanosuke disagreed. "Kenshin?"

The red head cringed internally at the hoarse sound of the 19 year-old's voice. However, he could not ignore the plea. "_Hai_, Sano."

"Jou-_chan_, Ayame, Suzume… how are they?"

Kenshin sighed. That was a fair question, though he would keep the answer simple. "The children are doing well, though they are still frightened. Kaoru-_dono_ is healing nicely."

It seemed to take Sano a moment in his fevered state, but he frowned just a little as he asked, "Will… will she talk?"

Even as Kenshin considered playing dumb, he knew Sano would catch him on this. They both knew what the younger man was referring to. "She has not spoken at all."

The frown on the younger man's face deepened. "Hn. Tomorrow… Kenshin, let me… talk with her."

Kenshin briefly considered refusing that. He would claim it was due to Sano's health, or some such. However, he was feeling uncomfortable in Sano's presence, how would Kaoru-_dono_ respond? That was unfair to not allow the chance though. Perhaps Sano could sway the young woman. "If she will agree to it Sano, I will be pleased to tell her that you asked to speak with her."

Or, in this case, to ask Megumi-_dono_ to tell her that Sano wished to see her. He could not stand to see Kaoru-dono cringe back upon seeing him again. He would allow Megumi to explain to Sano during the day why Kaoru choose not to come. All though, perhaps she would; she still clung to Sano's coat, after all.

"Thanks."

Kenshin bowed his head to the younger man at this before taking up his cooling duties again. The fever that raged through Sanosuke had yet to abate. However, he did not seem to have gotten any warmer. This was a good sign. The Rurouni did not make further eye contact with the ex-kenkaya, intent on letting the conversation safely die there. Now was not the time to let Sano know how disquieted he was. The boy was quite ill, it was not right to lay such a heavy burden on the sick. Again, Sanosuke appeared to have either ideas.

"Kenshin."

The red head did not bother to cover his sigh this time. The younger man simply wouldn't take the hint. "_Hai_, Sano."

"You're… angry with me."

Kenshin froze. That was uncanny, he did not think he had been so obvious. He did not think it would occur to the fevered Sano to ask about it now. Perhaps when he was better, but certainly not in his current state. And Kenshin still was not ready to confront this. Sano was certainly too ill to have to worry on that.

Recovering as fast as he could, Kenshin refused to meet those chocolate orbs as he returned to his ministrations. "Do not worry about that now, Sano."

"You don't like… that I killed."

"Sano, you are feverish and tired, you should rest."

"I would have killed Kuromori… I still would."

Kenshin ground his teeth on this, the skin about his eyes tightening. If Sano were so determined to see this through here and now, than Kenshin would grudgingly oblige him. "In cold blood?"

Sano reached out and caught the red head's wrist in his hand, demanding silently a face to face argument. Kenshin met his eyes again, only to find a temper nearly as great as his own burning behind them. "In cold blood," Sanosuke agreed.

"Sano, I don't approve of any of the killing. Such unnecessary force takes precious lives. Cold blood is worse, it makes you no better than our enemies."

"Conceited. Kenshin… you are conceited. I am no… better than they. I am… no better than anyone. We're all the same in the end… Don't give me the high and mighty… bull shit, ex-Battosai!"

Indeed, Sano knew him too well, he knew which buttons to push. Kenshin reared back on this, tossing the cloth with a splash back into the basin. "Correct Sano, "ex", as in no longer. I am not Battosai and I will not kill! You know that. You have fought by my side so many times. There are so many better ways than killing, I have tried to impart that to all of you. Do you not believe me Sano, do you not follow my example? No, you betray me instead, and everything I stand for!"

"Bull shit, Kenshin! I… I am not your student! I am… not innocent! I have not taken… an oath not to kill. You mistake me for… for being your shadow. A… a clone in your parade. I respect you… Kenshin. I… respect all that it is you stand for. Your methods are… ideal, but not always… realistic. An' _you_ know_ that_! I'm not you Kenshin, an'… I don't want to be you! It's you who doesn't respect… me, I think, if it is now a betrayal to be an individual… and to make these decisions on my own."

This speech left the younger man winded, and he closed his eyes for a moment to breathe. His cheeks were flushed from effort and fever at this point. The Rurouni had to stop at this. He was an intelligent adult after all and Sano had made a very good argument. Sano knew him to well indeed. "I feel betrayed that you would have the urge to kill in cold blood, Sano."

Sano eyed him for a moment and grunted. "Don't feel… betrayed Kenshin. I… don't do it to… spite you. I… don't ask that you condone my actions,… just that you accept them as being _my_ actions. I'll pay… for it sometime, you know. I ask that you respect my… individual choices, Kenshin… I ask that you respect me even if you don't like everything I do. Don't try to change me… it's too late for that. Just understand that… your rooster of a … friend here isn't perfect, like we've all… accepted of you. Be angry… if you wan'… but don't feel betrayed 'cause I don't mimic your every belief."

Kenshin blinked at the boy lying ill before him. Often, Sano didn't seem very bright. Kenshin knew that much of that was an act as was his own Rurouni bit. However, there were times when the younger man was surprisingly mature in his views. And truthfully, he was right. Kenshin ducked his head, however he maintained eye contact. "I apologize Sano. In this case you are more than correct. You are an individual and I enjoy your company due to that. I will remember to cherish that for what it is, Sano, and your choices. I cannot condone your methods this time, but you do not need me too. And in any case, you protected the girls quite well. You are as ever a reliable friend and protector."

Sano smiled lazily back at him, is eyes closing and his grip on Kenshin's wrist loosening. "Good."

With that he promptly passed out. Kenshin smiled back at him, easing the arm back beneath covers and turning once more to his water basin. He felt as though a great weight had been taken from him in that. It was true, he did not need to approve of the methods, he just needed to appreciate the friend. And that friend was indeed well appreciated which could remind him of that.

Which left him with the worry of Kaoru-_dono_.

-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-

As it turned out, it was in fact a couple of days later when a bored and still weak Sanosuke was interrupted on his pondering of the sunny day beyond the shoji screen by a timid nock on the wooden frame of the door at his back. The ex-gangster's fever had broken the day before and he was now ready to face the day with a night of sound sleep under his belt for the first time in a week. He had been greeted early that morning by two little girls, both of which smiling and happy to see him awake. Suzume had in fact produced an adorable rice ball with leafy rabbit ears to show how pleased she was that he had recovered. The rice ball sat on a plat near his sleeping mat, the bunny far too cute for the ex-kenkaya who had all ready had his breakfast to eat. The visit had been most fun as the two little girls seemed to be back to themselves. Aside from the fact that little Suzume was now far more talkative around him, assertive even!

The young man turned his head and gazed up at the bowed head of the dark haired young woman who stood at the door. Tilting his chin to the side he eyed the girl for a brief moment before addressing her. "Oye, Jou-_chan_. Come on in."

Kaoru looked up at that point to meet him eye for eye. Yet she stood immobile. One hand tightly wound in his coat. A coat that Sanosuke silently noted to himself, seemed ruined beyond redemption. He would have to figure out later how he intended to pay the tailor to get a new one made. Sanosuke grunted, his patients for silence in this sort of situation was notoriously short. "C'mon, c'mon, you know I don't bite."

To his surprise the girl responded this time with vigor. Jerking away from the doorframe Kaoru flung herself to her knees and her arms about Sanosuke's neck in a moment. Honestly, the ex-kenkaya hadn't known what to expect of the girl when she did show up. The lady doctor had told him that Jou-_chan_ was shying away from all men at this point, something that Kenshin had neglected. Apparently he was the exception. Sanosuke gently pat the woman's back with his left hand as she clung to him. And there they sat for a solid five minutes.

Sanosuke allowed the younger woman her time, she would disengage the impromptu hug when she was ready. As she did, Kaoru pulled away from him and sat knees tucked beneath her on the floor beside his bed, watching him, smiling. Despite himself, Sano chuckled. "I'm happy to see you too, Jou-_chan_. And for once your not throwin' any food at me."

For all the world Kaoru grinned wider and her frame shook silently as though the laughter really did want to come out an be heard. She did give him a nice, solid punch to the left arm for his efforts though. "Hey, hey, that wasn't called for," he laughed.

Nodding as though to say 'yes it was!' her ponytail sent flying, Kaoru continued smiling. After a beat she held out her other hand and the coat and bandanna she held. Sano raised an eyebrow. "I can have those back, eh?"

Again, the young woman nodded. Sanosuke took the coat and laid it on his lap while picking up his bandanna. He made the effort to tie it 'round his head only to cringe at the stiff ache that threatened his right shoulder. Kaoru promptly took the red cloth from him at that and leaned forward to tie it on for him. As she did this, Sano spoke quietly to her neck. "They tell me, Jou-_chan_, that you're refusin' to talk all together. And that you're avoiding men. All though, I'm not included in the latter, I guess."

Kaoru's movements slowed, though she finished the knot before leaning back again. She sat for a moment and looked at her hands. Sano readjusted his bangs, thankful to have them pulled up and out of his face again, before reaching out and laying his larger hand on top of hers. "You know, Jou-chan, s'all right to be scared once in a while. Hell, I'm scared every time I peep into my food cupboard in my apartment; I just know some creepy, furry, eight-legged bugger is going to come out and have me one of these times."

It was meant as a joke, but the young man's audience was not in the mood for it right then. Sano sighed and decided to try again. "You know everyone her cares for you, and we're worried for ya. What happened at Matsuo… well. It was horrible Jou-_chan_, I agree. I promise I'll have as many nightmares from this as you; maybe we can go out and drown ourselves in sake someday and reminisce. In any case, ya gotta keep in mind that we all made it out all right and that nothin' worse happened than, well, what happened.

"It's been a week Jou-_chan_, and I don't wanna tell you to just move on an' get over it. I jus' wanna tell you that we miss our bossy, noisy, sweaty assistant dojo master. We miss you, Missy. Hell, loathe as I am to admit it, I'm even craving some of that unique Kamiya Kaoru cooking right now."

The young woman stared at him for a moment, expression void. Then there was the gorgeous sound of a choke, and then a half sob, followed up by a giggle. And she continued giggling, soon turning to full blown laughter. Clutching her sides Jou-_chan_ was soon laughing so hard that she gasped for air whenever possible. Sanosuke was no longer sure if this was a good sign or if the dojo-master had lost her little mind.

However her voice rung loud and true, drawing the attention of everyone in the medical clinic. Megumi, Yahiko, Gensai, the girls and Kenshin all came running for the door. Every one of them staring in some cross of amazement and confusion at the sight before them. It was Megumi who finally stepped forward and lay her hand on the younger woman's shoulder, shaking her from the laughing fit, "Kaoru-_chan_, are you well?"

Kaoru turned to Megumi, still chuckling softly and said while casting a quick glance at Sanosuke, "I think I will be, Megumi-san. It may take time, but I will be."

Megumi quickly pulled the younger woman into a hug on this, pleased beyond words. Kaoru drew back first and stood. Smiling to Sano she said, "Thank you, Sanosuke, for everything," turning then to the open door where Kenshin stood behind a grinning Dr. Gensai she continued, "Kenshin, would you take a walk with me?"

"I would be honored, Kaoru-_dono_, that I would," smiled a very pleased Rurouni.

Yahiko steeped to the middle of the room and threw his hands wide, "Hold on a second, isn't anyone curious about what the heck the Buso found so funny?"

Kaoru grinned wickedly, walking past Yahiko and thumping him on the head on her way to the door. "Sanosuke just admitted to wanting to eat my cooking is all, and I will be sure not to forget that in the future!"

-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-

The wolf knelt in the earth of the forest floor, heedless of the dirt on his navy blue pants. With a casual manner he wiped his sword clean of the deep red glittering stain on it blade using the western cut coat of the man lying dead on the ground before him. Kuromori's eyes stared sightlessly his face frozen in terror even in death. Satisfied that his blade was clean the wolf stood and sheathed the sword. Tipping his police hat forward on his head he moved to start his journey back to town, the moon at his back.

Golden eyes glinted in the moonlight as a cigarette was lit and caught between his teeth. The situation was very simple really; no one hurt one of his men with out repercussions. As far as he was concerned, Sagara was one of his own.

~Finis

* * *

Authors Note 05/06:

You have reached the end of Chains Required Whips Optional. You have survived my grammar and spelling errors and my sometimes clumsy use of the Japanese language. You have born witness to Sano being shot, beaten, threatened, hammered, and quartestaff-ed while going through the trauma of saving three girls. You have seen Sano and Kenshin have words, and reach an agreement. Your reward? Saito killed the jerk-off Kuromori! (Tosses about with wicked laughter). Okay, maybe that little piece of story was for me alone. Oh well.

As a birthday present to myself, I decided it was high time to finish this story. (My birthday was the 10th, in case you wondered) I've apologized enough fro my often impressive delays. This time I put forth to you, yes you, the patient waiters and the new comers to Chains Required, that DoC has ( given three to four years to do so) completed the story. This gem is not to be left incomplete, but given to you as a reward for digging through to seek out a Sanosuke Torture Ficcy. We have both been successful.

Ahem, seriously folks, I must say again how grateful I am for the wonderful reviews you have granted me. To those who have stuck it out, I am more than glad to have you as my loyal readers. I do hope that if I post a RuroKen story again that I can have your time for that story as well. I do have a few ideas for stories rolling around. In the future, however, I will be sure to finish typing the story at home before posting it on so I don't scare everyone into thinking it will not be finished.

Anyway, I have a OneShot humor fic in mind, and two or three angsty buggers hoping merrily around for our poor Sano. Plot bunnies being the wonderful things that they are, I don't know if they will ever take shape. In any case, just browse for my name every year or so, or look up Sano fics. I swear to you, no romance from me!

Good luck finding your next Sano fic kiddies, I know that's where I'm heading off to.


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